James Earl Jones, the legendary actor best known as the voice of Darth Vader, has passed away at the age of 93.

 James Earl Jones, the legendary voice behind Darth Vader in *Star Wars* and Mufasa in *The Lion King*, has passed away at the age of 93.

Jones died on the morning of Monday, Sept. 9, at his home in Dutchess County, New York, as confirmed by his agent to PEOPLE. He is survived by his son, Flynn Earl Jones. His wife, Cecilia Hart, passed away in October 2016.

Beyond his iconic voice work, Jones delivered memorable performances in films such as *Coming to America* (1988), *Field of Dreams* (1989), *The Sandlot* (1993), and *The Hunt for Red October* (1990).

**Humble Beginnings**

Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, and raised by his grandparents in Michigan, Jones faced a challenging start. He spent eight years of his childhood in silence due to a severe stutter. "I stuttered badly, and so I retreated and lived in a world of silence rather than speak," he told a congressional panel in 2002. With the encouragement of a teacher, who urged him to read his poetry aloud, Jones slowly overcame his stutter.

In his memoir *Voices and Silences*, Jones wrote, "The written word is safe for the stutterer. The script is a sanctuary."

Interestingly, acting wasn’t always his first choice. While studying pre-med at the University of Michigan, Jones served in the Army and worked as a janitor before finding his path in acting.