Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Darth Vader is arguably one of the most iconicStar Warscharacters ever and James Earl Jones did a wonderful job of making him immortal. First appearing on screens in 1977, Darth Vader has remained an enduring character in the history of cinema. Not only has he become immortalized in popular culture, but is also one of the most fan-loved antagonists.
Despite Jones’s wonderful job of voicing the character and making it a cinema legend, theStar Warsactor was paid just $7,000, a criminally lower salary for the role. However, it was still better than what the actor who was the ‘body’ of Darth Vader was paid.
Also Read:“Do you think Leia should have ended up with Luke instead of Han Solo?”: Star Wars Fans’ New Campaign Gives Game of Thrones House Lannister Vibes
James Earl Jones Salary For Voicing Darth Vader
Also Read:“That’s how I approached it”: James Earl Jones Didn’t Consider His Iconic Darth Vader Role to be ‘Real Acting’ Job, Considers Another Star Wars Actor to be True Sith Lord
WhenDavid Prowsewas cast as Darth Vader,Star WarsdirectorGeorge Lucasknew that while he had all the physical aspects to star as the iconic character, he lacked majorly when it came to the voice part. Lucas wanted more of a deep, booming voice to create a powerful and intense impact. And soJames Earl Joneswas hired as the voice behind Darth Vader. He retold the story in an interview with theAmerican Film Institute.
“George wanted, pardon the expression, a dark voice. So he hires a guy born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, who stutters. And that’s the voice. That’s me.”
Despite voicing the character, Jones was paid a criminally low salary for the iconic role.
“I lucked out, from all these so-called handicaps, for a job that paid $7,000! And I thought that was good money. And I got to be a voice on a movie.”
At that time the actor was happy enough to get such an amount for just a voiceover. However, for the body of Darth Vader aka late actor David Prowse, he is known to have made nothing from the role (viaYahoo!).
Also Read:“The end of an era”: James Earl Jones Announces Retirement From His Iconic Darth Vader Role, Gives Consent to Lucasfilm to Use His Voice in Later Projects
How Much Did David Prowse Get For Darth Vader?
If James Earl Jones immortalized Darth Vader through his intense voice, then the late actor David Prowse helped in providing the right physicality for the role. While both actor’s contribution was equally important, Prowse had signed up a contract that reported he would only be paid from the net profits of the movie.
In an interview with Equity Magazine (viaSlashFilm) the actor stated,
“I get these occasional letters from Lucasfilm saying that we regret to inform you that as Return of the Jedi has never gone into profit, we’ve got nothing to send you. Now here we’re talking about one of the biggest releases of all time. I don’t want to look like I’m b*tching about it, but on the other hand, if there’s a pot of gold somewhere that I ought to be having a share of, I would like to see it.”
Even though the movie was an immense success, apparently on paper, thanks to creative Hollywood accounting, the movie has yet to make a profit.
TheStar Warsfranchise can be streamed on Disney+.
Maria Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2703
Maria Sultan is a dedicated News Content Writer at FandomWire. With over five years of professional experience and hundreds of published articles, she brings a wealth of expertise to her coverage of Marvel, K-dramas, and the latest on streaming platforms.Her work is not just about reporting news; it’s about providing insightful perspectives on the entertainment trends that matter most.
