James Earl Jones, acclaimed actor and voice of Star Wars’ Darth Vader, dead at 93

James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen – eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, The Lion King and Star Wars’ Darth Vader – has died. He was 93.

His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died on Monday morning at home. The cause was not immediately clear.

The pioneering Jones, who worked deep into his 80s, won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Centre Honours and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theatre was renamed in his honour.

He cut an elegant figure late in life, with a wry sense of humour and a ferocious work habit. In 2015, he arrived at rehearsals for a Broadway run of The Gin Game having already memorised the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.