James Earl Jones Voice Roles: Is He The Arby’s Ad Narrator?!

James Earl Jones was an accomplished histrion of the signifier and screen, but his dependable roles are possibly what he’ll beryllium known champion for. 

His passing has reminded fans of each his unthinkable roles done the years wherever his dependable was the prima of the show. 

From the iconic Darth Vader to the astir important Disney King of them all, James’ baritone was not lone instantly recognisable, but besides immensely powerful.

Still, determination are immoderate roles fans mightiness beryllium amazed to larn James had arsenic a voice actor. In fact, he’s done rather a spot of TV enactment that immoderate person wholly forgotten. 

Like a definite advertisement that remains iconic to this day. 

James Earl Jones accepts the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement successful the Theatre onstage during the 2017 Tony Awards astatine Radio City Music Hall connected June 11, 2017 successful New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

James Earl Jones’ Most Iconic Voice Roles

In 1977, the satellite was introduced to Darth Vader, the Sith Lord villain who would look disconnected clip and clip against the Jedis successful the Star Wars franchise. 

Though James ne'er suited up successful the each achromatic metallic suit himself, helium voiced possibly the astir celebrated movie villain of each clip successful implicit a twelve Star Wars projects. 

He originated the relation successful the archetypal trilogy, New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi. He returned to dependable Darth again erstwhile Hayden Christensen famously made the modulation from Anakin to Vader successful Revenge of the Sith.

But James didn’t halt there. He returned doubly much to the relation connected film, successful Rogue One and successful the past Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker. Also, helium lent his dependable to TV projects, specified as Star Wars: Rebels and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He tin adjacent beryllium heard connected the Star Tours attraction astatine Disney Parks astir the world. 

Star Wars memorabilia signed by James Earl Jones that is up for auction is seen during the yearly YMCA Arts & Letters Auction and Reception astatine the Rainbow Room October 24, 2005 successful New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)

The One True King

But Darth Vader is not the lone Disney owned quality that James voiced. In 1994, helium lent his dependable to the relation of Mufasa successful the Oscar nominated film, The Lion King. 

And conscionable similar with Vader, James was blessed to instrumentality to the relation whenever the workplace needed him to. He returned arsenic Mufasa successful consecutive to TV films similar The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. He besides tin beryllium heard successful different Disney Park attraction, this clip successful Epcot successful Orlando successful a amusement called Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable.

But astir notably, helium was the lone subordinate of the archetypal formed to instrumentality to the live-action/CGI remake of the Lion King in 2019. 

It remains to beryllium seen if helium volition look successful the upcoming prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, though helium is not listed arsenic portion of the formed arsenic of now. 

James Earl Jones accepts the Life Achievement grant during the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held astatine the Shrine Auditorium connected January 25, 2009 successful Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

“This Is CNN”

James Earl Jones dependable roles extended beyond the large screen. 

Cable quality viewers volition everlastingly retrieve him arsenic the Voice of CNN. For decades, helium lent his dependable to CNN’s tagline, “This is CNN,” implicit with a melodramatic intermission aft “This …”

A CNN spokesperson said successful a connection pursuing his passing that Jones “was the dependable of CNN and our marque for galore decades, uniquely conveying done code instant authority, grace, and decorum.”

“That singular dependable is conscionable 1 of galore things the satellite volition miss astir James,” the connection added.

But is James Earl Jones The Voice of Arby’s Too?

Each procreation volition retrieve James for immoderate fig of his dependable roles. And contempt having 1 of these astir recognizable voices of all-time, determination is inactive immoderate enigma astir his resume. 

Case successful point: for years, fans person been convinced that James Earl Jones was the dependable of Arby ads, proudly proclaiming “We person the meats” arsenic the narrator. 

However, though their voices are similar, Ving Rhames has been the dependable of Arby’s commercials since 2014. 

If you request proof, cheque retired this advertisement from April 2024. Rhames made his archetypal on-camera quality successful an Arby’s advertisement for Free Sandwich Month.

But fearfulness not, James has had dozens of different dependable roles you mightiness not remember!

James Earl Jones Lesser Known Voice Roles

Simpson fans volition callback that James appeared successful a fig of Halloween specials implicit the years. Most notably,  he voiced an alternate-universe Maggie successful “Treehouse of Horror V”.

He voiced the narrator successful 3rd Rock from the Sun, did an occurrence of Garfield successful the 90’s arsenic Diablo, and played the Giant successful the 2009 movie Jack and the Beanstalk. 

But backmost to Disney, fable has it helium besides voiced the idol deity Mara successful Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye attraction successful Disneyland until 2013.  The dependable was aboriginal changed, but galore fans inactive judge it’s James, with modifications.