James Earl Jones' final public performance cemented his place on the list of Hollywood legends.
The late “Star Wars” star was honored in a special ceremony on July 10, 2019, where he had his handprints and signature cast in cement as part of his induction into the Disney Legends Hall of Fame.
The ceremony took place in Pawling, New York, where Jones lived until his death on Monday, September 9. Jones' induction was timed to coincide with Disney's annual D23 Expo, a Comic-Con-style event that the company describes as three full days of “magic inside” experiences you won't find anywhere else.
Jones was unable to attend the expo in Anaheim, California, but was instead honored at a smaller ceremony near his home in New York.
Disney CEO Bob Iger introduced Pre-recorded video which Jones sent to D23 attendees at the convention.
“Hello Disney fans! I'm sorry I can't be with you today,” Jones said. “I've had the great honor of working with Disney many times over the past several years, and it's a great honor to be inducted into the Disney Legends Hall of Fame.”
He added: “Thank you and may the force be with you.”
Jones has appeared in many iconic Disney projects during his long career. Most notably, the actor voiced the character Mufasa in both the original animated “The Lion King” (1993) and its 2019 live-action remake.
He was also the host of “Fantasia/2000,” narrated the nature documentary “Earth,” and, of course, provided the voice of Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” franchise. Lucasfilm, which produces all the “Star Wars” movies and TV shows, is owned by Disney.
Disney Legends began in 1987 and honors individuals who have “made significant contributions” to the company, with the honorees' signatures and handprints imprinted in cement and then placed on bronze plaques.
Since 1998, those plaques have been placed on the Disney Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios.
A few years after becoming known as a Disney Legend, Jones received another incredible honor when Broadway's Cort Theatre was renamed after him. Jones made his Broadway debut at the Cort in 1958 in “Sunrise at Campobello.”
Although Jones did not attend the public renaming ceremony on Sept. 12, 2022, he was given a private tour of the theater that now bears his name a few days earlier.
After news of Jones' death broke, countless fans expressed their grief online, including his son in the “Star Wars” films, Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the iconic science fiction films.
The actor wrote on the ex, “#RIP Dad.”
Jones' “Field of Dreams” co-star Kevin Costner also paid tribute to the icon in a post on social media.
“That resonant voice. That quiet strength. The kindness he radiated. There's so much to be said about his legacy, so I'll just say how grateful I am that it includes Field of Dreams,” Costner captioned A series of photos of the pair in the 1989 film.
In addition to all of his other accomplishments and awards, Jones also earned the coveted EGOT, which includes 2 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy, a spoken-word Grammy Award in 1977, 3 Tony Awards, and an honorary Oscar Award in 2011.
