You might know him as the famous voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise and as Mufasa in The Lion King with his signature deep baritone voice. James Earl Jones turned 92 on Wednesday, Jan. 18 and his fans hope to see him in more movies and to hear his powerful voice in this and another art form. His impact is tremendous and he is the voice of many of our childhoods and life in general. You can hear Mufasa powerfully yet gently guiding his son Simba to seek his destiny at the back of your head. And you can hear Darth Vader revealing to Anakin Skywalker that he is his father.
With a career spanning seven decades, Jones has appeared in stage plays, animations, blockbuster movies, comedies, and also in television series that cover a wide range of genres and topics. He has also won numerous awards over the decades which is a testament to his massive talent and stellar performances.
His most distinguishing talent is his strong voice no doubt! When matched with poignant characters such as Mufasa or Darth Vader, and his narration especially in movies and documentaries is what makes them feel alive. At his current age of 92, he has lived a full and adventurous life. He has entertained, taught, motivated, inspired, and impacted generations.
A very poignant scene in Coming To America 2 where he reprised his role as Jaffe Joffer made fans wonder whether he was retiring from acting.
Based on the plot of the movie, as the aging King of Zamunda, he wishes to pass over the crown to his son Prince Akeem. He then asks for a pomp feast to celebrate his funeral. Not when he is dead he insists, but while he is still alive. His son obliges. At the celebration, he is well-clad and strategically positioned in front of all the guests. He is also seated in what looks like a coffin! Some camera angles make him seem as though he is sleeping in it. s the festivities go on and the King is honored through performances by Gladys Night, and Salt ‘n’ Peppa among other legends, he passes away! In front of everybody!
The legends that were brought in to celebrate the life of the King in the movie were juxtaposed with celebrating the real-life career and achievements of James Earl Jones. That was easy to understand. They wanted to give him his flowers while he was still alive. And what could have been a better way of doing it than in the eyes of the entire world while immortalizing that honor in art?
