Stars of the screen on Monday were mourning the death of James Earl Jones, the voice of Star Wars villain Darth Vader, at the age of 93.
Jones, who also voiced King Mufasa in Disney’s animated feature The Lion King, had a prolific and varied career. Over six decades he worked with some of the greatest figures in cinema and theater, including Stanley Kubrick in his 1964 Cold War satire Dr Strangelove.
He also had roles in the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Conan The Barbarian and the 1989 Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams, but it was for his role as one of cinema’s most famous villains that he became most widely known.
Photo: Reuters
While Darth Vader’s immense physicality was the result of the towering British actor David Prowse, the sinister voice that appeared to emanate from inside the reconstructed man-in-a-mask was that of Jones. And it was Jones who gave the Star Wars franchise some of its most memorable lines, including when he reveals to Luke Skywalker — played by Mark Hamill — “I am your father.”
Hamill took to social media on Monday to share news of Jones’ death, writing simply: “#RIP dad” with a broken heart emoji.
Rustin star Colman Domingo wrote on social media that Jones was “a master of our craft.”
“We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best,” he wrote.
Lydia Cornell, whose 1982 debut Bloodtide was opposite Jones, wrote: “Oh no!! I can’t believe it!! I thought he was going to live forever.”
“Adored working with him. Such a generous spirit, and so humble. Taught me the power of stillness and using my voice,” she wrote.
Selma director Ava DuVernay posted images of Jones, accompanied by a heartfelt message.
“Thank you for showing us ourselves. Our complicated selves, our dignified selves, our smiles, our pain. A job well done. A gift beautifully shared. Bless you as you journey on,” she wrote.
Alongside a clip of Jones’ 1974 film Claudine she urged fans to seek it out if they have never seen it.
“Mr. Jones crying in a scene of this film is one of the most exquisite cinematic images of a Black man I’ve ever seen. Don’t miss it. He gave us so much,” she wrote.
The Help star Octavia Spencer posted a black-and-white photograph of Jones, alongside a tribute that nodded to his indelible role in Star Wars.
“Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever,” Spencer wrote. “His voice and talent will be remembered always. Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in all the galaxies, far, far away.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) greetings with what appeared to be restrained rhetoric that comes as Pyongyang moves closer to Russia and depends less on its long-time Asian ally. Kim wished “the Chinese people greater success in building a modern socialist country,” in a reply message to Xi for his congratulations on North Korea’s birthday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported yesterday. The 190-word dispatch had little of the florid language that had been a staple of their correspondence, which has declined significantly this year, an analysis by Seoul-based specialist service NK Pro showed. It said
On an island of windswept tundra in the Bering Sea, hundreds of miles from mainland Alaska, a resident sitting outside their home saw — well, did they see it? They were pretty sure they saw it — a rat. The purported sighting would not have gotten attention in many places around the world, but it caused a stir on Saint Paul Island, which is part of the Pribilof Islands, a birding haven sometimes called the “Galapagos of the north” for its diversity of life. That is because rats that stow away on vessels can quickly populate and overrun remote islands, devastating bird
‘CLOSER TO THE END’: The Ukrainian leader said in an interview that only from a ‘strong position’ can Ukraine push Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘to stop the war’ Decisive actions by the US now could hasten the end of the Russian war against Ukraine next year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday after telling ABC News that his nation was “closer to the end of the war.” “Now, at the end of the year, we have a real opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the United States,” Zelenskiy said in a post on Telegram after meeting with a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress. “Decisive action now could hasten the just end of Russian aggression against Ukraine next year,” he wrote. Zelenskiy is in the US for the UN
A 64-year-old US woman took her own life inside a controversial suicide capsule at a Swiss woodland retreat, with Swiss police on Tuesday saying several people had been arrested. The space-age looking Sarco capsule, which fills with nitrogen and causes death by hypoxia, was used on Monday outside a village near the German border. The portable human-sized pod, self-operated by a button inside, has raised a host of legal and ethical questions in Switzerland. Active euthanasia is banned in the country, but assisted dying has been legal for decades. On the same day it was used, Swiss Department of Home