'RIP Dad': James Earl Jones Mourned by Everyone From Mark Hamill to Major League Baseball

Published:Mon, 9 Sep 2024 / Source:https://www.ign.com/articles/rip-dad-james-earl-jones-mourned-by-everyone-from-mark-hamill-to-major-league-baseball

James Earl Jones, the highly decorated actor behind the voices of Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, in addition to countless other film and TV roles, passed away this morning at the age of 93. It didn't take long at all for the tributes to start pouring in.

The most heartbreaking of all of them, though, might come from his Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill. Hamill, of course, played Luke Skywalker, the son of Darth Vader, and wrote a simple but fitting tribute: "RIP Dad."

Over the span of his career, Jones appeared in more than 80 films and received three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and an Honorary Academy Award in 2011. There's an inspiring story behind his voice work too, considering he overcame a severe stutter to become one of the most famous voices in Hollywood.

It's little wonder, then, that so many tributes were quick to come in. New York's Empire State Building posted a shot from its Star Wars dynamic light show event earlier this year that displays Darth Vader against the iconic skyscraper.

Major League Baseball even paid tribute to Jones, citing his baseball-related films Field of Dreams and The Sandlot. The Simpsons, on which Jones appeared three times, shared a sweet remembrance as well.

Others paid more personal tribute to Jones. Kevin Costner, who starred alongside Jones in Field of Dreams, wrote on Instagram, "That booming voice. That quiet strength. The kindness that he radiated. So much can be said about his legacy, so I’ll just say how thankful I am that part of it includes Field of Dreams."

More Hollywood actors, including Colman Domingo and Octavia Spencer, joined in on the celebration of Jones' life and career. "Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever," Spencer wrote on Instagram. "His voice and talent will be remembered always."

See more tributes to Jones below.

Thumbnail credit: Getty Images

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Source:https://www.ign.com/articles/rip-dad-james-earl-jones-mourned-by-everyone-from-mark-hamill-to-major-league-baseball

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