There have been several actors who have portrayed Darth Vader in the past but James Earl Jones is undoubtedly the most iconic one so far. So it’s no surprise that Lucasfilm is not quite willing to let Jones go as the voice of Darth Vader, especially since the Sith Lord returned in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Instead, the studio decided to use an A.I. that would replicate Jones’ voice and ensure that it can be used for future Star Wars projects. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Respeecher, the people behind the A.I., revealed that James Earl Jones was ready to retire from voicing the character. However, the 91-year-old actor has agreed for the company to use his voice and already signed off on the technology. Moreover, Jones reportedly advises them on it.
“He had mentioned he was looking into winding down this particular character,” Star Wars sound editor Matthew Wood told the magazine. “So how do we move forward?” Wood also confirmed that Jones guided Vader’s voice performance on Obi-Wan Kenobi and calls him “a benevolent godfather.” We’re sad to know that James Earl Jones will no longer be performing as Darth Vader but we are also assured knowing that his voice will continue to be used for more Star Wars projects with the help of an A.I. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to the Sith Lord’s return in future films and TV shows. Darth Vader appears in Obi-Wan Kenobi which is currently streaming on Disney+. He is also expected to return in the Mandalorian spin-off show Ahsoka.
