James Earl Jones' Family 'Robbed' of Multi-Million-Dollar Estate: 'Star Wars' Actor Died Racked with Regret Over Giving Up Profit Deal From Franchise
James Earl Jones lost out on millions of dollars when he opted for a lump-sum salary of $7,000 for to voice Darth Vader in the original 'Star Wars'.
Sept. 26 2024, Published 8:18 p.m. ET
James Earl Jones always regretted one huge mistake – he opted for a meager $7,000 payday to voice the iconic Darth Vader in Star Wars.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the actor's family was therefore robbed of millions of dollars they could have inherited when Jones passed away.
The booming-voiced baritone, who died at age 93 on September 9, was a starving actor in 1977 when he was booked for the recording session.
Jones also declined credit for voicing the villain in the first two films.
Recalling the two and a half hours he spent doing the voiceover work, Jones said: "$7,000 was big money for me in those days."
He explained: "I was broke and needed the money to pay rent and buy groceries. And I got to be a voice on a movie!"
Director George Lucas reportedly offered Jones equity profit shares instead of a salary, meaning the movie's success would have determined the actor's pay.
But he opted for the lump sum, and Star Wars went on to become a multi-billion-dollar franchise.
During an interview in 2010, Jones estimated the decision cost him "tens of millions of dollars".
In contrast, Sir Alec Guinness, the late actor who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the first movie, made a fortune after choosing the profit share option.
CelebrityNetWorth.com reported: "To date, this decision has resulted in payouts of over $10 million for his estate and heirs."
Sir Alec Guinness (left) and George Lucas (right) each made a fortune off of the franchise.
As of this week, Lucas had an estimated net worth of $4.9billion, according to Forbes.
Jones remembered being surprised at the explosive success of the franchise, saying: "Nobody at that time knew that (Star Wars) would become a cult hit. I'm very happy to be a part of that cult, even though I didn't get paid a lot for it."
The late legend quipped: "I'm simply special effects."
The Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award-winner also declined credit for the first two Star Wars films out of respect for the actor who played Darth Vader on the big screen, David Prowse.
Jones passed at age 93 earlier this month.
His name finally appeared in the credits for 1983's Return of the Jedi, and he went on to voice the villainous Vader for several film sequels as well as Star Wars-inspired TV shows and video games.
The actor said his father, actor Robert Earl Jones, prepped him for the ups and downs of a career in show business.
Jones described his dad's difficult experience in the industry, explaining: "He had been not only Black, but blacklisted, so he couldn't get work in Hollywood and he said, 'If you appeared in the credits for want to do this business, you gotta do it because you love it, not because it's gonna make you rich or famous.'
"That was the best advice he could give me."
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Jones eventually made up for his pathetic payday, earning more than $45million for his roles as Mufasa in Disney's 1994 animated hit The Lion King and Terence Mann in the 1989 sports drama Field of Dreams.
His other movie credits include Conan the Barbarian in 1982, Coming to America in 1988, The Hunt for Red October in 1990 and The Sandlot in 1993.
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