James Earl Jones, voice actor of Star Wars and The Lion King, dies at 93

Hollywood has lost an acting legend.

James Earl Jones– The actor whose deep, resonant voice can be heard in star wars and The Lion King—He died on September 9 at his home in Dutchess County, New York, his representative confirmed to multiple news outlets. He was 93.

Born on January 17, 1932, in Archabutla, Mississippi, Jones spent most of his childhood in Michigan with his grandparents. During that time, Jones suffered from a severe stutter—an experience that ultimately taught him the power of his voice.

“When I was a little kid, I was communicating with my family, or at least with those who didn’t mind being embarrassed by my stutter,” he recalled in a 2010 interview with Daily Mail“When I got to school, my stutter was so bad that I stopped trying to speak properly.”

However, Jones was able to overcome his speech problems thanks to the help of an English teacher who helped him “work with words.”