‘Legends never die’: The James Earl Jones performances that shaped our lives

It’s a sad day when someone whose work has brought you so much joy your entire life passes away. For me and so many others, that fits James Earl Jones, who passed away this week at 93 years old.

James Earl Jones has been delighting audiences with his commanding, deep voice since the early 1960s. Whether it was on the screen or lending his voice to an animated feature, Jones left a huge mark on pop culture. Instantly recognizable in every role, his scene-stealing performances are imprinted on my brain. Let’s take a moment to reflect on his long, extraordinary career.

Born to be king

In Coming to America, Jones plays King Jaffe Joffer, the ruler of Zamunda. In this ’80s comedy, he serves as the conflict for Prince Akeem, wishing for his son to follow tradition. What I love about James Earl Jones in this role is how it showed his range for being able to work within the vision of someone like Eddie Murphy. I think we’re used to seeing Jones as a somewhat serious straight man, but he could commit to a bit and it’s fun to watch. And maybe that lion sash he wears to America can serve as a foreshadowing of another king he becomes.

James Earl Jones providing the voice of Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King was perfect casting. The way his voice rumbles, especially with the good sound system of a movie theater, really does mimic the timbre of a lion’s growl. It’s one thing when he’s giving fatherly guidance to Simba, injecting gentleness and affection into his words. This performance just takes on a new meaning from this point forward when he delivers the “Great Kings” speech. He says:

“Look at the stars. The great kings of the past are up there watching over us. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.”

I know. Grab a tissue. It’s fine.

I think this movie and this performance have my heart right now because it has a special way of talking about grief. For kids, the luckiest ones, these words speak to a someday that comes for all of us. Once your life is touched by grief, these words serve as a comfort. Our loved ones are always with us. They manifest when we need reminding of who we are and where we came from.

The best baseball movies ever

In The Sandlot, Jones had a small role, but he James Earl Jones-ed the crap out of it. He plays a former baseball player who owns the baseball-stealing beast, Hercules. There’s a sweetness to the way he plays the role, showing grace and empathy to these kids who just needed to knock on his door the entire time.

In Field of Dreams, Jones plays the recluse author, Terence Mann. In this beautiful work of magical realism, we’re back to talking about grief, regret, and redemption. All of the characters have some kind of loss or regret that they’re not quite at peace with. I loved his arc in this film because while he was reluctant to answer the call to adventure, he eventually delivers the iconic “People will come” speech. The key to becoming unstuck from his own regret is by honoring his inner voice and taking the leap of faith. If you want your dreams to come true, sometimes you have to get out of your own way. I’m not ready to discuss Terence disappearing into the cornfield.

Star Wars

One of James Earl Jones’ most iconic roles is being the voice of Darth Vader. Certainly, this was my first introduction to him. I was always a Darth Vader fangirl, pretending I was the Sith Lord in my own imaginative play. Like much of Star Wars, the role of Darth Vader was a collaborative effort. David Prowse and Hayden Christensen are the physical embodiment, but without the voice of Jones, the character could never be the same.

In total, James Earl Jones was the voice of Darth Vader in 12 Star Wars projects and even more in archival sound for the franchise. This includes his role in the Star Tours ride at Disney Parks. Even up to 2022 in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, he was still lending his voice to the character. Any time a new announcement of Jones reprising this role cropped up, a perpetually polarized Star Wars fandom would generally greet the news with positive reactions—an almost inconceivable feat these days.

It seems like we’re in a transitional moment where the larger-than-life people we grew up with are becoming one with the Force, one by one. It’s a reminder that we should treasure the remaining actors and creators who have meant so much to us while they are still here.