Skylord Sheba with Agency Reports
HOLLYWOOD: One of the most iconic African American actors of all time, famous for his commanding screen performances in Coming to America, the voice behind Star Wars villain Darth Vader, and Mufasa of The Lion King, among other blockbusters, James Earl James, died on Monday, 09 September, at the age of 93.
Jones, a distinguished and unblemished actor, was famous for many roles including The Great White Hope, Field of Dreams (1989), Claudin, The Sandlot and Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is most remembered in Nigeria and other parts of Africa for his role as the King Jaffe Joffa, ruler of Zamunda Kingdom in Coming to America (1988).
Jones, who burst into national prominence in 1970 with his powerful Oscar-nominated performance as America’s first Black heavyweight champion in The Great White Hope, died at his home in Dutchess County, New York, Independent Artist Group announced.
Not unexpectedly the death of the screen colossus has thrown Hollywood into mourning with many of his colleagues, including LeVar Burton, who starred alongside Jones in the TV movie “Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones,” paying tribute on Elon Musk’s X, writing, “James Earl Jones… there will never be another of his particular combination of graces.”
“Sing Sing” Colstar man Domingo expressed deep gratitude following Jones’ passing, posting a picture from Jones’ youth and writing, “Thank you dear, James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best.”
For his work on the stage, Jones earned two best actor Tony Awards: for originating the role of Jack Jefferson — who was based on real-life boxer Jack Johnson — in 1968 in Howard Sackler’s Great White Hope and for playing the patriarch who struggles to provide for his family in a 1986 Pulitzer Prize-winning production of August Wilson’s Fences.
Jones, the recipient of an honorary Oscar at the 2011 Governors Awards and a special Tony for lifetime achievement in 2017, was one of the handful of people to earn an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony and the first actor to win two Emmys in one year.
“You cannot be an actor like I am and not have been in some of the worst movies like I have,” the self-deprecating star said when he was given his Academy Award. “But I stand before you deeply honoured, mighty grateful and just plain gobsmacked.”
Jones’ rise to become one of the most-admired American actors of all time was remarkable considering he suffered from a debilitating stutter as a child.
Born Todd Jones on Jan. 17, 1931, he grew up in Arkabutla, Mississippi, and was raised by his maternal grandparents. At age 5, the family moved to a farm in Dublin, Michigan.
“That move was traumatic somehow,” he once recalled. “My ability to communicate dropped out. I couldn’t speak to people without breaking up and stuttering,” and he pretended to be mute.
