James Earl Jones’ Net Worth: How Did the Darth Vader Actor Die?
- James Earl Jones passed away at the age of 93 at his home in New York.
- The actor pursued acting because of his stutter.
- James Earl Jones was surrounded by his family in his last moments.
James Earl Jones, who is popularly known as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, is regarded as one of the most distinguished and versatile actors. His work on Broadway, starting with Sunrise at Campobello in 1957, was highly appreciated. James Earl Jones voiced the very popular and beloved character of Mufasa in 1994’s The Lion King and later reprised his role for 2019’s realistically animated remake of the original The Lion King.
The actor, who was 93 years old, has passed away at his home in Dutchess County, New York. Jones is one of the few entertainers who have won the EGOT, though his Academy Award was honorary. Over a career spanning 60 years, the actor nearly amassed 200 screen credits. His representative confirmed the news of his death.
EGOT winner James Earl Jones passes away at the age of 93
One of the most remarkable actors in the industry, James Earl Jones, passed away at the age of 93 at his home on September 9th, 2024. His family surrounded the actor when he passed. No cause of death has been shared as of now. Chief executive officer at The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger, shared,
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 films 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 actor nearly spent eight years of his childhood in silence because he’d stammer. In a congressional panel in 2002, he shared that he stuttered badly, so he retreated and lived in a world of silence. However, he was able to overcome this hurdle after his teacher urged him to not only write but also read his poetry out loud. After his exceptional work on The Great White Hope in 1967, the actor received an Oscar nomination and became the second Black to receive the nomination honor after Sidney Poitier.
James Earl Jones’ voice created a buzz, as despite actor David Prowse being behind the mask of Darth Vader, it was he who brought menace to the character with his voice. He shared with AFI (via People)
I’m simply special effects. So, he hires a guy born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, who stutters. From all these so-called handicaps, I lucked out to get a job that paid me $7,000, and I thought that was good money. It was great fun to be a part of that.
George Lucas shared in a statement published on the Star Wars community that James Earl Jones was an incredible actor with a unique voice both in art and spirit. He added that the now-late actor was Darth Vader for nearly half a century, but the secret to it all was that he was a beautiful human being. Lucas mentioned that Jones gave depth, sincerity, and meaning to all his roles, among the most important being a devoted husband to the late Ceci and a dad to Flynn.
James Earl Jones never held back the praises for David Prowse for his physical performance as Vader, stating that the actor worked hard to create Darth Vader and he cannot take any credit for it.
How much was James Earl Jones worth?
The entire world is mourning the loss of James Earl Jones, as he has left a remarkable legacy behind. The actor had an impressive net worth of $40 million. According to reports by MARCA, the late actor was offered a percentage of the Star Wars film’s gross earnings, but he needed cash, so he opted for an upfront payment. The actor was paid around $7,000 to around $27,000, which later he admitted cost him tens of millions of dollars.
Though he missed out on millions, the actor’s rich and remarkable legacy remains a testament to his colorful work as an actor. He was one of the most celebrated actors in the industry, and even in his final years, he continued to shine and was regarded as one of the greatest actors. In his conversation with People, the actor shared when asked the secret behind his career spanning almost 60 years,
I’d like to play anything that gives me a chance to learn about people who are truly different from me. I want to say as much as possible about how I feel about myself—not my Black self or my American self, but my real self.
In his interview with the New York Times in 2014, the actor added that the secret to him keeping his career alive for such a long time is to never forget that he is a ‘journeyman actor’ and nothing is his final thing. He noted that nothing is his greatest thing and nothing is his worst thing. Earl Jones mentioned that he still considered himself a novice.
One of the things for which James Earl Jones is known is being the voice of CNN and immortalizing the phrase ‘This is CNN’. Earl Jones’ work in the industry will continue to echo in the works the actor has left behind.
We extend our condolences to James Earl Jones’ family and friends.
