What Happened to James Earl Jones?

Last Updated on October 1, 2024

Pop quiz: who has the best voice in the history of movies? You’re dead wrong if your answer is anything other than James Earl Jones. Indeed, the classic, rich baritone is the defining voice of multiple generations, with him famously voicing the Sith Lord himself, Darth Vader, in the Star Wars franchise. In a much friendlier vein, he also voiced The Lion King himself, Mufasa, and when that movie was remade, even though no one else in the cast reprised their roles, there was never any doubt that only one man could voice the wise king. Plus, he famously voiced the iconic phrase, “This is CNN”. If Jones were only a voice actor, he’d be an indisputable icon.

Yet, there’s so much more to him than just his voice work. James Earl Jones is also one of the great modern character actors, making his film debut in none other than Dr. Strangelove (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb) before earning an Academy Award nomination for his starring role in The Great White Hope. As a child of the eighties and nineties, I always knew him as a kindly, reassuring grandfatherly figure in movies like The Sandlot, but he could also be tough and cool, such as in his classic Sneakers cameo, and his recurring role as Jack Ryan’s boss and mentor, James Greer, in The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger. Plus, he could do comedy, with him famously playing Eddie Murphy’s father in Coming to America and its sequel.

At ninety-three, Jones has more-or-less retired, with Coming 2 America being his swan song. But, he remains an icon among icons, and in this special episode of What Happened to this Celebrity, we pay homage to a giant talent all of us admire. 

What’s your favorite James Earl Jones role? Let us know in the comments.