At 92, James Earl Jones Loves ‘Growing Older And Wiser’ – His Son Inherited One Of His Most Memorable Skills

Feb 23, 2023 by apost team

James Earl Jones is a legendary American actor known for his rich baritone voice and commanding presence on stage and screen. Born on Jan. 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones was the son of Robert Earl Jones, an actor, and Ruth Connolly Jones, a teacher.

James grew up in a segregated America and experienced racism firsthand. He was raised by his grandparents in Michigan until the age of 5 when his mother moved him to live with her in Mississippi. However, he returned to Michigan for high school, where he struggled with a stutter that left him painfully shy and introverted.

James found solace in reading and the arts, which helped him overcome his stutter. He attended the University of Michigan and initially studied pre-med, but his love for acting led him to switch his major to drama. James graduated with a degree in drama in 1955 and moved to New York City to pursue his acting career.

In New York, James worked as a janitor to make ends meet while auditioning for roles. He landed his first Broadway role in 1957 in the play "The Egghead," and his breakthrough role came in 1960 when he starred as boxer Jack Jefferson in "The Great White Hope." James won a Tony Award for his performance, and the play was later adapted into a film, earning him an Academy Award nomination.

James's deep, resonant voice caught the attention of filmmakers, and he went on to lend his voice to iconic characters such as Darth Vader in the "Star Wars" franchise and Mufasa in "The Lion King." His distinctive voice has also been featured in numerous documentaries, commercials and video games.

In addition to his film and stage work, James has also been an advocate for civil rights and equality. He has spoken out about his experiences with racism and discrimination and has been involved in various social justice causes throughout his career. In 1968, he refused to perform in a production of "The Great White Hope" in South Africa because of the country's apartheid policies.

James has been honored with numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including a Kennedy Center Honor, the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2011, he was also inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.

James was married twice, first to Julienne Marie from 1968 to 1972. He then met his second wife, Cecilia Hart, on the set of the series “Paris” in 1979. They married in 1982 and had one son, Flynn Earl Jones, who was born that same year. James and Hart remained married for 34 years until 2016 when she passed away after battling ovarian cancer. 

After turning 92 in 2023, James continues to be a beloved and respected figure in the entertainment industry. In a 2021 interview with USA Today, he said he felt “fantastic and grateful at 90 years old” and blessed to have had such a long and substantial body of work.

“Looking back at my life and extensive career, I am so proud of my work and accomplishments. I love growing older and wiser with time," he told USA Today.

He added he still felt “young at heart” and would “love to work and will continue to act for as long as I can.” True to his word, the legend was last seen in the film “Coming 2 America” released in 2021. 

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Despite his success, Jones has remained humble and grounded, often speaking about his struggles with insecurity and self-doubt. He has also been open about his early challenges with speaking. He told The Hollywood Reporter: 

“I didn’t talk in the whole of grade school (because of my stutter). And when I got to high school, I had a great English teacher who believed in language. And he looked at a poem I wrote and said, ‘It’s too good for you to have written, so to prove you wrote it, please stand up in front of the class and recite it from memory.’ And I did it without stuttering. So he used that as a program to get me to talk.”

He also told CNN he “lucked out” when he was cast to be the voice of the infamous “Star Wars” baddie Darth Vader as producers initially wanted to go with someone else. “But (director) George (Lucas) wanted a… darker voice, so he hires a guy born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, who stutters and that's the voice and that's me,” he said.

In a happy twist of fate, it appears his son, Flynn, has inherited his father’s famous oratory skills. Flynn has lent his voice to the taping of a slew of audiobooks, including saucy reads such as “Heartthrob,” science fiction books like “Frozen Earth: Rogue Star, Book 1” and “Lions of the Sky,” and the non-fiction title “Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams: The Story of Black Hollywood.”

It’s likely James’ outstanding career, talent, resilience and commitment to social justice served as an inspiration to Flynn, generations of actors and activists alike. Perhaps one day, his son’s own career will resonate as deeply as James’ body of work has for all his fans.

Are you surprised to discover James’ son has inherited his unique skill? What skills do you feel you’ve inherited from your own parents? Let us know and pass this on to family and friends, too.