James Earl Jones, the distinguished actor renowned for his deep, resonant voice that brought life to Darth Vader in Star Wars, has passed away at the age of 93. Jones died peacefully at his home in Dutchess County, New York, as confirmed by his representatives. The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Jones’ passing has prompted a wave of tributes from across the entertainment industry. George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, hailed Jones as “an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit.” Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader’s son, shared a poignant message on social media: “RIP dad.” Kevin Costner, who starred alongside Jones in Field of Dreams, reflected on Jones’s legacy, noting, “That booming voice. That quiet strength. The kindness that he radiated. So much can be said about his legacy, so I’ll just say how thankful I am that part of it includes Field of Dreams.” Actress Octavia Spencer described Jones as a legend whose roles and impact on cinema were beyond description, while Colman Domingo lauded him as “a master of our craft” and expressed gratitude for his contributions.

Jones was not originally cast as Darth Vader. The role was initially given to British bodybuilder David Prowse, chosen for his imposing physique. However, George Lucas, the film’s director, was dissatisfied with Prowse’s accent. Jones was brought in to provide Vader’s iconic voice, forever cementing the character as one of cinema’s most memorable villains. Though he was not credited until the third film, The Return of the Jedi, in 1983, Jones’s voice would become synonymous with Darth Vader across six Star Wars films, including The Revenge of the Sith (2005), Rogue One (2016), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), as well as in the 1978 Holiday Special and the Star Wars: Rebels TV series (2014-2018).

In addition to his role as Darth Vader, Jones achieved significant acclaim as Mufasa in Disney’s 1994 animated classic, The Lion King. His portrayal of the noble lion, whose tragic death deeply affected a generation of children, was revisited in the 2019 remake directed by Jon Favreau.

Jones’s journey to fame began on the stage. Born in Mississippi in 1931, he moved to Michigan with his family during the Great Migration. Despite a childhood struggle with a stammer, he overcame it with the help of a teacher. After studying drama at the University of Michigan and serving in the military post-Korean War, Jones made his Broadway debut in 1958 with a small role in Sunrise at Campobello. Throughout the 1960s, he appeared in major productions, including Jean Genet’s The Blacks and Bertolt Brecht’s Baal. His Shakespearean roles on Broadway, such as Othello, further established his stage credentials.

Jones’s film career began with Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove in 1964, and he earned widespread acclaim for his portrayal of boxer Jack Jefferson in Howard Sackler’s The Great White Hope. This role won him a Tony Award in 1969 and an Oscar nomination for the film adaptation. His success opened doors to leading roles in Hollywood, including The Man, where he played the first black president, and Claudine, a romantic comedy with Diahann Carroll.

Star Wars solidified Jones’s place in mainstream cinema, leading to prominent roles in films like Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, Field of Dreams, and The Hunt for Red October. Despite his film success, Jones remained committed to the stage, winning a second Tony Award in 1987 for his role in August Wilson’s Fences and performing in productions like Driving Miss Daisy and Much Ado About Nothing.

Jones’s father was actor Robert Earl Jones, although he abandoned his family before Jones was born, and they had little contact until the 1950s. (Jones senior acted in Langston Hughes’s play Don’t You Want to be Free?, a string of films by African American film pioneer Oscar Micheaux, and a number of high-profile Hollywood films including The Sting, as grifter Luther Coleman.)

Jones was married twice: first to actress and singer Julienne Marie from 1968 to 1972, and later to Cecilia Hart, who passed away in 2016. He is survived by his son, Flynn, who is also an actor.