The 12 Best James Earl Jones Movies and TV Shows, According to Critics

James Earl Jones was an actor known for his booming voice, towering presence, and utter commitment to his craft. He passed away on September 9, 2024, at the age of 93. His voice and presence were unmistakable, even when the movie or television show he starred in was forgettable.

From commanding roles in science fiction epics to no less towering performances on the small screen, Jones brought seriousness and depth to every character he played, and the critics agreed. 

These are the 12 of the best movie and television performances by James Earl Jones, according to critics past and present.

James Earl Jones provided the menacing voice behind one of the most intimidating villains in movie history. He gave Darth Vader a menace and depth that didn’t just elevate the character – the movies themselves wouldn’t have worked with any other actor delivering those lines. While critics hailed his iconic performance, there is perhaps no more remarkable testimony than the fact that almost every obituary written about him proclaimed him the “voice of Darth Vader” in the headline.

James Earl Jones played Mufasa in 1994’s “The Lion King,” and while he didn’t receive the most screen time, he remains one of the most memorable characters. Critics said Jones' portrayal brought strength, warmth, and wisdom in equal measure, making Mufasa an unforgettable character. Hal Hinson wrote in the Washington Post that the movie is “Shakespearean in tone, epic in scope,” and he wasn’t kidding.

In “The Great White Hope,” Jones played a Black boxer facing off against all manner of racist hostility during the 1910s. Variety called his performance “larger than life,” and while it earned him an Oscar nomination, the Best Actor statuette would elude him throughout his entire career. We’re going to be raw about that one for a while.

Thirty-five years after its release, movie fans are still crying hysterically as they watch “Field of Dreams.” A movie in which reclusive writer Terrence Mann (Jones) helps a farmer (Kevin Costner) build a baseball field, Caryn James wrote in the New York Times that it was “so smartly written, so beautifully filmed, so perfectly acted, that it does the almost impossible trick of turning sentimentality into true emotion.”

Okay, the Eddie Murphy comedy “Coming to America” was never going to win any Oscars. Still, Jones, who played the majestic King Jaffe Joffer of Zamunda, brought every bit of heft to the role that he brought to his stage performance of “King Lear.” Jones balanced humor and sternness, making the performance both endearing and intimidating. Kathleen Carroll of the New York Daily News said it was an “adorably amusing upscale fairy tale, an endearingly romantic comedy which has all the fabulous fake opulence of an old-fashioned Hollywood musical.”

In his first movie role ever, Jones played calm and collected bomber pilot Lt. Lothar Zogg in the Cold War satire, “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” It’s not the most extensive role of Jones’ career, but it’s considered one of the greatest movies of all time, and his subtle, steady presence balances every scene he’s in. The movie came in second place to “Some Like It Hot” on BBC’s ranking of the 100 greatest comedies of all time.

“Cry, the Beloved Country” is based on the 1948 novel of the same name and stars Jones as a South African priest searching for his missing son. His portrayal is both heartbreaking and hopeful, capturing the essence of the story’s themes. James Berardinelli said of the film, “Rarely does a motion picture touch the heart so deeply, with no hint of artifice or manipulation.”

In “The Hunt for Red October,” Jones plays wise and steady CIA deputy director Vice Admiral James Greer. His calm authority added a layer of realism and tension to this military thriller. Roger Ebert called it “a skillful, efficient film that involves us in the clever and deceptive game being played.”

“Conan the Barbarian” was the movie that gave Arnold Schwarzenegger his big break, and it features Jones as Thulsa Doom, a charismatic and terrifying cult leader who may or may not have some serpent DNA. The movie is pretty goofy – it’s a Schwarzenegger movie, after all – but Jones’ performance is so chilling it will sober you right up. Roger Ebert said that the actor “brings power and conviction to a role that seems inspired in equal parts by Hitler, Jim Jones, and Goldfinger.”

In this television miniseries, Jones played “Roots” author Alex Haley as he traces his ancestry back to West Africa. Apart from his usual commitment to the character, he also brought a genuinely ebullient authenticity to the role, and no one who saw him cry out, “Kunta Kinte, I found you,” could let that one pass by without weeping. The program won the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Limited Series.

Jones played coal miner “Few Clothes” Johnson in 1987’s “Matewan,” a drama about striking workers in a West Virginia mine. His quiet strength added depth to the film’s portrayal of labor struggles. Variety called it a “heartfelt, straight-ahead tale of labor organizing in the coal mines of West Virginia in 1920 that runs its course like a train coming down the track.”

Jones played a charismatic and determined baseball player in this adaptation of the novel by the same name. His energy and charm helped make the movie a hit, and Jay Cocks wrote in Time that “Jones here is at his best; he makes Leon appropriately larger than life without ever letting him become a sports-page cartoon.”

For more entertainment stories, sign up for our free newsletters.