"The most iconic voice ever": Fans react as Empire State Building pays wholesome Darth Vader tribute to James Earl Jones

Actor James Earl Jones, best known for voicing Darth Vader in Star Wars, passed away on September 9, 2024, at 93. Following his tragic death, the Empire State Building’s X account shared a video of the aforementioned character’s iconic walk in the film as a tribute. Netizens have since taken to the internet to react to the same.

One of the two posts uploaded by the Empire State Building’s official X account included the towering building lit up in red and showcasing Darth Vader’s shadow. The tweet had amassed nearly 10 million views at the time of writing this article.

In the other X post, the character was seen walking away with the Star Wars music playing in the background. Loud cheers were also heard as the late actor was remembered by many. The tweet also read, “May the Force be with you J.E.J.” The tweet was quick to go viral as well, gathering one million views on the social networking site.

Initially, many were confused, about whether the Empire State Building paid tribute to James Earl Jones in reality. However, their account confirmed that the pictures included in the tweets were “from our Star Wars dynamic light show even earlier this year.”

For those uninitiated, James Earl Jones, as Darth Vader, was behind the famous Star Wars dialogue, where he reveals to Luke Skywalker, who was played by Mark Hamill, “I am your father.”

Many took to the internet to express awe over the Empire State Building’s tribute to the late actor. Some reactions read:

“That’s fantastic. I hope you run this again tonight after dark…,” an X user said.

“The force was strong with this one,” another platform user commented.

Mark Hamill was one of the many celebrities who took to the internet to pay tribute to James Earl Jones. The former said in a tributary Instagram post, “One of the world’s finest actors whose contributions to Star Wars were immeasurable. He’ll be greatly missed. #RIP dad.” Meanwhile, other reactions to the Empire State Building’s tribute read:

“Some of our childhoods (mine) just died today. We’ll miss you Darth, and Mufasa. RIP,” an X user said.

“This is the coolest thing I've seen. Thank you. What an amazing tribute,” another netizen said.

“Tears. Thank you for the entertainment, the soothing voice, the wisdom, the characters, and for helping me escape when I needed it most. RIP Mr. Jones,” a platform user commented.

Several netizens continued to flood X with tributary messages to James Earl Jones. Others read:

“RIP Darth Vader! Loads of strength to Mark and his family in this tough time,” an X user said.

“Rest in peace, legend,” another netizen said.

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James Earl Jones’ acting resume explored as the legendary actor passes away

Jones got a start in the film industry in the 1960s following his appearance in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb in 1964. He has since appeared in numerous movies, including Claudine, Field of Dreams, The Sandlot, City Limits, and Coming to America, among others.

His role as Darth Vader in the Star Wars: A New Hope movie was beloved by many, leading to his appearing in numerous Star Wars projects, the latest being The Rise of Skywalker, which was released in 2019. Speaking about how he adored being a part of the franchise, he once said in an interview with the BBC:

“I love being part of that whole myth, of that whole cult.”

James Earl Jones also voiced Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King, which was remembered by many online as they paid their tributes.

Apart from appearing on screen, Jones was also a stage actor. He starred in many productions, including The Gin Game. Much Ado About Nothing, Of Mice and Men, Hamlet, and Othello, among others.