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Kelly Rissman
US News Reporter
Denzel Washington has paid tribute to James Earl Jones, calling the late actor his “hero.”
The acclaimed Star Wars and The Lion King actor died yesterday, at the age of 93.
In a statement to Variety, Washington said: “He’s my hero. My college theater career started because of The Emperor Jones and Othello with James Earl Jones.”
He added: “I wasn’t going 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.”
Jones played the lead role in Othello at Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival and the subsequent Off-Broadway production in 1964. He later starred in Eugene O’Neill’s play The Emperor Jones in 1971.
Jones and Washington never worked together on screen, but they did share a role. Jones won a Tony award in 1987 for playing Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Fences on Broadway. In 2016, Washington played the same part in a film adaptation he also directed and produced. Washington was nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor at that year’s Oscars, making him the first Black person to be nominated in both categories in the same year.
Washington joins a chorus of Hollywood stars who have paid their respects to Jones.
His Field of Dreams costar Kevin Costner shared a touching message on Instagram, writing: “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.
“If you’ve seen it, you know that this movie wouldn’t be the same with anyone else in his role. Only he could bring that kind of magic to a movie about baseball and a cornfield in Iowa. I’m grateful to have been a witness to him making that magic happen. Rest in peace, friend.”
Star Wars creator George Lucas said in a statement: “For nearly half a century he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is he was a beautiful human being. He gave depth, sincerity and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being a devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn.
“James will be missed by so many of us...friends and fans alike.”
Mark Hamill, Octavia Spencer and Colman Domingo also shared memories of working with and being influenced by Jones.
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