Hollywood Legend’s Death Leads to Empire State Building Retirement

If you are a fan of Star Wars, The Lion King, or one of the countless films that the illustrious James Earl Jones starred in, you likely have been mourning the loss of the 93-year-old legend who has now sadly passed away.

While 93 years is a long life and one that has touched millions of people around the world with Jones’ ability to tell a story, it is still a loss to lose such a great talent.

That iconic voice is just one of the many things the world will miss about the beloved actor, who passed away on Monday at age 93, according to his agent.

Jones was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing, though no cause of death has been disclosed.

“From Mufasa’s gentle wisdom to Darth Vader’s menacing threat, James Earl Jones gave life to some of the most iconic characters in cinema history,” said Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, in a statement. “A celebrated stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits, the stories he brought to life with his commanding presence and rich spirit have left a lasting mark on generations of audiences.”

Jones enjoyed an illustrious career spanning 60 years, from a small-town theater in northern Michigan to the heights of Hollywood.

In the mid-1970s, Star Wars creator George Lucas cast British actor David Prowse to play Darth Vader physically but sought someone else to voice the character.

Jones’ deep, resonant voice brought to life one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history, Darth Vader, in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977). He returned to voice the character in subsequent films, including The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Additionally, Jones lent his voice to the character in the animated series Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018) on Disney XD and the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).

“George wanted a—pardon the expression—darker voice,” Jones once said to the American Film Institute. “I got lucky.”

At the time, no one imagined Star Wars would become a blockbuster, let alone a cultural phenomenon. Jones recorded his lines in just a few hours and wasn’t credited in the film. He recalled earning only $7,000 for the role, which he thought was “good money.”

Jones and Lucas occasionally disagreed on how to voice the villainous Vader.

“I wanted to make Darth Vader more nuanced, more psychologically complex,” Jones explained. “But George said, ‘No, no … keep his voice on a narrow range of inflection because he’s not human.’”

The climactic duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, remains a highlight of the Star Wars saga, cemented by Jones’ iconic delivery of the line: “No, I am your father!”

Mark Hamill paid tribute on Instagram, writing, “One of the world’s finest actors whose contributions to Star Wars were immeasurable. He’ll be greatly missed. #RIP dad.”

Almost two decades later, when Jones voiced Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King, it took some time to find the right approach for the dignified character.

“My first instinct was to make him regal,” Jones said of the 1994 film. “But what they really needed was something closer to me. They asked, ‘What are you like as a father?’ and I said, ‘Honestly, I’m a bit of a dopey dad.’”

He added, “So they began incorporating my facial expressions into Mufasa and shifted the tone. He was still authoritative but ultimately just a gentle dad.”

Disney CEO Bob Iger stated: 

“From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the menacing threat of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinema history. A celebrated stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits to his name, the stories he brought to life with a uniquely commanding presence and a true richness of spirit have left an indelible mark on generations of audiences.”

The Empire State Building, one of the most iconic landmarks in New York City, has also lit up to show their remorse for the actor.

“Rest in Peace Lord Vader”

Rest in Peace Lord Vader pic.twitter.com/HsFn5bkQC0

— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) September 9, 2024

We can see the building light up in his iconic color of red, his lightsaber, with Vader looming over the city.

The Empire State Building X account also shared a video projection that took place on the building.

May the Force be with you J. E. J. pic.twitter.com/gTYMpJizey

— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) September 10, 2024

Considering Darth Vader was a key figure in the Galactic Empire, serving as the first Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military and the Sith apprentice to Emperor Palpatine, placing his figure on the Empire State Building certainly seemed fitting.

George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars franchise, said, “James was an incredible actor, a unique voice both in art and spirit. For nearly half a century, he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is that he was a beautiful human being. He gave depth, sincerity, and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being a devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn. James will be missed by so many of us…friends and fans alike.”

Disney Fanatic thanks James Earl Jones for giving us a lifetime of stories that we will cherish forever.