Black Hollywood Reflects on James Earl Jones’ Influence

As many individuals proceed to react to the death of veteran actor James Earl Jones on September 9, 2024, we’re learning increasingly more about his life and the impact he had on a few of Black Hollywood’s biggest stars.

The legendary actor, 93, was perhaps best known for his powerful voice, lending his voice to iconic characters similar to Darth Vader and Mufasa. However, he once lived with a stutter and overcame multiple periods of self-imposed muteness early in his life.

When Jones was inducted into the American Academy of Achievement in 1996, he shared his thoughts interview what it was like growing up in Mississippi and Michigan.

“It wasn’t that I stopped talking; I just found it too hard to talk,” Jones recalled, adding that moving from Mississippi to Michigan together with his grandparents, who raised him, traumatized him significantly. As a result, he spent his first 12 months of college mute, a period that continued into highschool.

It was not until he met his highschool teacher, Donald Crouch, that Jones began to interrupt his silence, discovering his love of poetry in the method.

“(Crouch) said, ‘Do you like these words? Do you like how they sound in your head?’” Jones explained. “He said, ‘Well, they sound 10 times better when you say them in the air. It’s a shame you can’t say these words.’ He started challenging me and pushing me in the direction of speaking, and using my own poetry and then other poets… pushing me in that direction, in the direction of recognizing and appreciating the beauty of words.”

It’s hard to say what would have happened without Crouch’s crucial intervention. But it is simple to say what Jones would have done for a lot of future black Hollywood stars.

“He’s my hero,” Denzel Washington said. Diversitywho noted that his college theater profession was inspired by Jones’s performances in “Emperor Jones” and “Othello.”

“I didn’t set out to be as big as him. I wanted to sound like him. He was everything to me as a budding actor. He was who I wanted to be,” Washington continued. “There weren’t many serious black actors that we could emulate; imitate, admire. There was Sidney (Poitier); on stage, there was James Earl Jones. That’s what I remember.”

Ava DuVernay paid tribute to Jones in multiple posts on Instagram Stories, concluding with the caption, “A job well done. A gift well given. Blessings on your journey,” per Entertainment Weekly.

In the post on XKerry Washington shared, “Your voice has left an indelible mark on film and theater. Your roles have shaped our imaginations. Your legacy will live on forever. Rest in peace, Mr. Jones.”

Wendell Pierce wrote in his own memorial post on X“The embodiment of genius. The embodiment of humanity. Artistry of the highest order. A personal hero of monumental talent. Once in a generation. My soul is broken by the news of his passing.”

Colman Domingo shared a photograph of a young Jones on Xwriting, “Thank you, dear James Earl Jones, for everything. Master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us the best.”

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Meanwhile, Courtney B. Vance, who hung out with Jones and his family six months ago, said: Diversity regrets not reminiscing about more of the times he shared the stage with the late actor, including their performances in August Wilson’s play “Fences,” in addition to the time they performed a scene from the play together on the 1987 Tony Awards.

“The first table read, I didn’t know how to address James—I called him ‘Sir.’ I was the only one who didn’t know anyone. And I was a total newbie, because I had just started doing theater. I didn’t know the difference between a stage and a stage. Everyone was bringing me in. They were teaching me,” Vance recalled.

He added, “James would like to be remembered as a gentleman, as someone who loved his family. Everyone else in his generation didn’t have role models, so they had to find a way to get out. They were all pioneers. Moses Gunn, Cicely Tyson and James in ‘The Blacks’ was a play that changed Broadway as much as ‘Fences’ did, allowing black performers to have careers.”

Vance also recalled the last time he saw Jones (who’s survived by his son Flynn) at his home in upstate New York earlier this 12 months.

“The whole family was there and we were all laughing and talking about old times,” he said. “He said to me, ‘Courtney, they’ve got me so stuck in this bubble, I think I’ll live to be a hundred.’ I said, ‘Jimmy, I know you will.’”