Star Wars and Lion King actor James Earl Jones dies at 93

Lauded actor and performer James Earl Jones has died at age 93, as reported by Deadline, who confirmed the news with Jones’ management company. Jones is best known as the original voice actor behind Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa of The Lion King, roles he returned to throughout his life. But he was also one of a select few performers to reach the so-called EGOT milestone of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award in his lifetime.

Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi in 1931, Jones began his acting career in a successful run on Broadway, making a name for himself as a Shakespearean stage actor before debuting in film with 1964’s Doctor Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Jones’ seven decade film career included beloved films such as Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, The Hunt for Red October, Field of Dreams, Star Wars, The Lion King, The Great White Hope, The Sandlot, and too many other classics to name, along with TV appearances on everything from Sesame Street to the Simpsons, and many, many more.