James Earl Jones was a renowned actor of the stage and screen, but his voice roles are what he will be most remembered for.
His recent passing has brought to fans’ minds all the incredible roles he has portrayed over the years, where his voice was truly the highlight of the show.
From the iconic Darth Vader to the revered Disney King, James’ deep voice was not just easily recognizable but also incredibly powerful.
Surprisingly, there are some roles that fans may not be aware of that James has voiced. In fact, he has worked on several TV projects that have slipped the minds of many.
One particular advertisement remains memorable to this day.
James Earl Jones’ Most Iconic Voice Roles
In 1977, Darth Vader was brought to the world, the Sith Lord antagonist who clashed multiple times against the Jedis in the Star Wars saga.
Although James never physically portrayed the character, he voiced one of the most famous movie villains of all time in over a dozen Star Wars projects.
He originated the role in the original trilogy, ‘New Hope,’ ‘Empire Strikes Back,’ and ‘Return of The Jedi.’ He returned to voice Darth once more when Hayden Christensen made the shift from Anakin to Vader in ‘Revenge of the Sith.’
But his involvement did not end there. He reprised the role two more times in films, ‘Rogue One’ and ‘The Rise of Skywalker,’ as well as lending his voice to TV projects like ‘Star Wars: Rebels’ and ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi.’
There is even an audio recording of him on the Star Tours attraction at Disney Parks globally.
The One True King
Aside from Darth Vader, James also lent his voice to the character of Mufasa in Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ in 1994.
Similar to his commitment to Vader, James gladly revisited the role whenever Disney required him to do so. He reprised his role as Mufasa in TV films like ‘The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar’ and ‘The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.’
He also had a presence at another Disney Park attraction, this time at Epcot in Orlando in a show called ‘Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable.’
However, what set his return apart was that he was the only cast member from the original film to return for the live-action/CGI remake of ‘The Lion King’ in 2019.
As of now, it remains unknown if he will appear in the upcoming prequel ‘Mufasa: The Lion King,’ as he is not currently listed as part of the cast.
“This Is CNN”
James Earl Jones extended his voice roles beyond the big screen.
Cable news audiences will forever associate him as the Voice of CNN. For numerous years, he provided his voice to CNN’s tagline, “This is CNN,” with a dramatic pause following “This…”
Following his passing, a CNN spokesperson remarked that Jones “was the voice of CNN and our brand for numerous years, effectively expressing instant authority, grace, and dignity through speech.”
“That extraordinary voice is just one of the many things that the world will miss about James,” the statement concluded.
But is James Earl Jones The Voice of Arby’s Too?
Each generation will remember James for various voice roles. Despite having one of the most distinct voices of all time, there is still some mystery shrouding his resume.
For instance, for years, fans believed that James Earl Jones was the voice behind Arby’s commercials, proudly proclaiming “We have the meats” as the narrator.
However, although their voices bear similarities, Ving Rhames has been the voice of Arby’s commercials since 2014.
If you require evidence, watch Rhames’ initial on-camera appearance in an Arby’s advertisement for Free Sandwich Month.
Rest assured, James has held numerous other voice roles that you might have forgotten!
James Earl Jones Lesser Known Voice Roles
Fans of ‘The Simpsons’ will remember James appearing in several Halloween specials, notably voicing an alternate-universe Maggie in “Treehouse of Horror V.”
He voiced the narrator in ‘3rd Rock from the Sun,’ portrayed Diablo in an episode of ‘Garfield’ in the 90s, and assumed the role of the Giant in the 2009 film ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.’
Regarding Disney, rumors circulate that he also voiced the idol god Mara in the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye attraction in Disneyland until 2013. Although the voice was altered later on, many fans still believe it to be James, albeit with modifications.
