James Earl Jones, who passed at 93, earned only $7,000 for Darth Vader

James Earl Jones, known for his commanding baritone voice and memorable roles in classics like The Lion King, Field of Dreams, and the Star Wars franchise, passed away on September 9. At the time of his death, Jones had accumulated a net worth of $40 million, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth. His impressive awards collection includes two Emmys, a Golden Globe, a Grammy, and two Tony Awards, all of which reflect his extraordinary talent and perseverance in the entertainment industry.

Despite his long and successful career, Jones’s rise to fame was far from instantaneous. He received only $7,000 for his iconic portrayal of Darth Vader in the original 1977 Star Wars film. The character, marked by his intense internal conflict, wielded a red lightsaber and used Force choke abilities, becoming one of cinema’s most memorable villains.

Filmmaker George Lucas sought a voice that was deep and authoritative for Darth Vader’s character. While actor David Prowse physically represented Vader, it was Jones’s vocal performance that brought the character to life. Initially, Lucas considered American actor Orson Welles for the role but opted against this choice, fearing that Welles’s voice would be too recognizable. Instead, he reached out to Jones’s agent.

In a 2009 interview with the American Film Institute, Jones humorously reflected, “George wanted, pardon the expression, a dark voice. So he hires a guy born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, who stutters. And that’s the voice. That’s me.”

Jones’s contribution was recorded in just one day for the original Star Wars film. Interestingly, he wasn’t credited in the initial two films of the franchise, with his name first appearing in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in 1983. However, despite not receiving recognition at the time, Jones felt fortunate.

“I lucked out from all these so-called handicaps for a job that paid $7,000!” he recalled. “And I thought that was good money. And I got to be a voice on a movie.”

In contrast, Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker, earned approximately $650,000 for his role in the first Star Wars film, while Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo, initially received $10,000, which increased to $500,000 by the third movie.

James Earl Jones was born in 1931 in Arkabutla, Mississippi. After his father abandoned his family to pursue boxing, Jones relocated to Manistee, Michigan, where he was raised by his grandparents. This transition was challenging for him, leading to the development of a stutter. During his schooling, he often communicated with teachers through handwritten notes until a high school teacher encouraged him to read his poetry aloud. This pivotal moment ignited Jones’s passion for performance.

He kickstarted his acting journey on stage, making his Broadway debut in 1958 with Sunrise At Campobello. In 1965, he made history as one of the first African American actors to hold a recurring role in a daytime drama, As the World Turns. Jones garnered critical acclaim for performances in August Wilson’s play Fences in 1987, as well as in the films Gabriel’s Fire and Heat Wave. Yet, he is perhaps best remembered for his role as Darth Vader, a character he voiced in various Star Wars sequels and television adaptations.

Jones’s portrayal of Darth Vader is set to remain in popular culture, not only through traditional media but also via artificial intelligence. In September 2022, Jones granted access to his voice archive to a Ukrainian AI startup, Respeecher, allowing LucasFilm to create AI-generated versions of his iconic voice. This technology was utilized in the Disney series Obi-Wan Kenobi.

However, the use of AI voice recreations has sparked debates among fans, particularly concerning the ethical implications of using the voices of deceased actors who may not have given consent. Renowned actress Scarlett Johansson expressed her dismay when her voice was replicated for a ChatGPT bot, citing feelings of shock and anger. Nevertheless, Respeecher’s CEO, Alex Serdiuk, affirmed the company’s ethical stance, stating that consent is sought from rights holders, which may include the estates or families of departed actors.

LucasFilm now possesses extensive recordings of Jones’s distinguished voice, setting the stage for future projects. This archival effort coincided with the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leading Skywalker Sound, the recording division of LucasFilm, to engage in numerous communications with Respeecher and Star Wars producers to perfect Vader’s AI dialogue amidst the chaos.

“For a character such as Darth Vader, who might have 50 lines on a show, I might have a back-and-forth of almost over 10,000 files,” shared Matthew Wood, supervising sound editor at Skywalker Sound.

Source: Fortune.com