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Image Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
James Earl Jones was one of the most iconic actors in the film industry with nearly 200 acting credits to his name and 70 years of experience. Not to mention, he was a prolific Broadway actor, having starred in 21 shows, per the New York Post. Unsurprisingly, the late 93-year-old was the winner of three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, one Grammy Award, and an honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. All the accolades aside, he is probably best known as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise. And although he retired from the gig at the end of 2022, his voice will live on thanks to AI technology that can recreate his voice time and time again, according to CNN. Unfortunately, James died at the age of 93 on September 9, 2024.
In addition to being one of the most regarded artists of all time, James was also a father to his son, Flynn Earl Jones, whom he shared with late wife, actress Cecilia Hart. Flynn is the only child James has fathered during his lifetime, although he was married once more before he started a family with Cecilia. Learn about James’ two wives and marriages below.
Julienne Marie
Julienne Marie and James Earl Jones were married for four years (Photo: Everett)
Julienne Marie, born in Ohio in 1933 according to her IMDb page, is an actress and musical theater aficionado just like James. She began landing roles on Broadway in the ‘50s and was even nominated for the Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony in 1959 for her role in Whoop-Up and landed a nomination for the same trophy in 1964 for Foxy, per Playbill. She also starred in productions of Do I Hear A Waltz?, Gypsy, and Charlie and Algernon. As for her television roles, she is best known for Ryan’s Hope (1978) and Our Private World (1965).
Julienne has been married three times during her life. She was married before James to Gerald Kean from 1955 to 1961 and after James to John Scanlon from 1974 until he died in 2001. Her marriage to James lasted for four years between 1968 and 1972.
Cecilia Hart
James Earl Jones and Cecilia Hart made their final red carpet appearance together at the 2016 Tony Awards (Photo: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock)
Cecilia Hart was born in Wyoming in 1948 and pursued her acting aspirations by moving to New York City. She eventually found herself on Broadway in the original productions of The Heiress (1976) and Dirty Linen & New-Found-Land (1976), plus as Desdemona in 1982’s Othello, as noted by her Playbill page. Although she was never nominated for a Tony, she received the 1977 Theatre World Award and the 1977 Drama Desk Award. She also appeared in a handful of television shows, such as Law & Order, The Runaways, and MacGyver.
Cecilia and James met on the set of the short-lived television series Paris, according to PEOPLE. They then starred opposite each other in Othello in 1982 and married the same year. As noted above, they welcomed their son into the world in 1982. Prior to walking down the aisle with James, Cecilia was married to actor Bruce Weitz between 1971 and 1980.
Cecilia died in 2016 of ovarian cancer. Her family did not release an official statement but asked for any donations in honor of her life to be made to The Actors Fund or Hudson Valley Hospice. Following her death, James earned the 2017 Tony Lifetime Achievement Award and thanked her for always believing in him. “I want to thank my wife Ceci for being such a wonderful companion in my life and in my work. And for being the great coproducer of our son Flynn and for being so dazzling on the red carpet,” he said ahead of the show.
