The Women Behind The Voice: A Look At James Earl Jones' Two Marriages To Julienne Marie And Cecilia Hart
The towering figure and legendary voice of James Earl Jones, who passed away in September 2024, left behind an unparalleled legacy on stage and screen, but his personal life was marked by two deep and private marriages to accomplished actresses. The news of his passing at age 93 from complications from type 2 diabetes brought a renewed focus on the women who stood by the man known globally as the voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa. His journey through love was one of shared artistic passion and enduring commitment, first with a Tony-nominated Broadway star and later with a talented stage and screen performer.
This article, updated with the current date of December 2025, delves into the lives of James Earl Jones's two wives—Julienne Marie and Cecilia Hart—exploring the timeline of their relationships, their own impressive careers, and the family he built, which continues his artistic lineage.
James Earl Jones: A Brief Biography and Personal Profile
Before exploring his two marriages, it is essential to understand the man behind the iconic voice. James Earl Jones was a pioneer whose career spanned over seven decades, earning him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, two Emmys, and a Grammy, along with a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.
- Full Name: James Earl Jones
- Born: January 17, 1931, Arkabutla, Mississippi
- Died: September 9, 2024, Pawling, New York
- Cause of Death: Complications from Type 2 Diabetes
- Parents: Ruth Williams and Robert Earl Jones (actor)
- Education: University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
- Notable Roles: Darth Vader (Star Wars), Mufasa (The Lion King), Admiral James Greer (The Hunt for Red October), Jack Jefferson (The Great White Hope)
- Wives: Julienne Marie (m. 1968; div. 1972), Cecilia Hart (m. 1982; d. 2016)
- Children: Flynn Earl Jones (Son, born 1982)
The First Chapter: James Earl Jones and Julienne Marie
James Earl Jones's first marriage was a passionate, albeit brief, union rooted in their shared love for the stage. He married actress and singer Julienne Marie in 1968.
- Wife's Name: Julienne Marie (born Julienne Marie Hendricks)
- Marriage Date: 1968
- Divorce Date: 1972
- How They Met: The couple met while co-starring in a 1964 Off-Broadway production of Shakespeare's Othello, with Jones playing the title role and Marie playing Desdemona.
- Julienne Marie's Career: Marie was a highly respected Broadway performer, earning Tony Award nominations for her roles in the musicals Whoop-Up (1959) and Foxy (1964). She was an accomplished actress and singer.
- Children: The marriage produced no children.
Their relationship lasted four years, a period of intense artistic collaboration. While the marriage was short-lived, it connected two formidable talents of the American theater scene at the time. Julienne Marie, a two-time Tony nominee, continued her work in the performing arts after their divorce.
A Lasting Love: The 34-Year Marriage to Cecilia Hart
A decade after his first divorce, James Earl Jones found a profound and lasting connection with actress Cecilia Hart. Their marriage in 1982 marked a long chapter of stability and partnership, enduring for 34 years until her death.
- Wife's Name: Cecilia Hart (sometimes credited as Ceci Jones)
- Born: February 19, 1948, Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Died: October 16, 2016, Westport, Connecticut
- Marriage Date: 1982
- Cause of Death: Ovarian Cancer, following a year-long battle.
- How They Met: They met while co-starring in the 1979-1980 CBS police drama Paris, where Hart played the role of Stacey Erickson. They also appeared together on Broadway in a 1984 revival of Noël Coward's Design for Living.
- Cecilia Hart's Career: Hart was a respected stage and screen actress, known for her television role in Paris and her extensive work on Broadway, including in Tom Stoppard’s plays.
The bond between Jones and Hart was one of immense mutual respect and companionship. Jones affectionately referred to Hart as "a wonderful companion in my life." Their relationship was a private sanctuary for the globally famous actor. Tragically, Cecilia Hart passed away in 2016 at the age of 68 after a battle with ovarian cancer, leaving Jones a widower.
Flynn Earl Jones: Continuing the Artistic Legacy
The marriage of James Earl Jones and Cecilia Hart was blessed with one child, a son named Flynn Earl Jones, born in 1982, the same year they married.
- Son's Name: Flynn Earl Jones
- Born: 1982
- Career Path: Following in the vocal footsteps of his famous father, Flynn Earl Jones has established a career as an audiobook narrator and voice artist. He reportedly has over 17 voiceover credits on Audible.
- Public Life: Despite his parents' celebrity status, Flynn maintains a very private life, choosing to live out of the spotlight.
Flynn’s career as a voiceover artist is a poignant continuation of his father's most famous artistic contribution—the unparalleled power of his voice. While James Earl Jones retired from voicing Darth Vader in 2022, entrusting the archival recordings and AI technology to maintain the character's presence, his son’s work ensures the Jones family's vocal legacy lives on.
James Earl Jones’ Final Years and Enduring Legacy
Following Cecilia Hart's death in 2016, James Earl Jones remained a widower. His final years were spent quietly at his home in Pawling, New York, a testament to his deeply private nature. Despite his retirement from the role of Darth Vader in 2022, his voice remains immortalized in the Star Wars and The Lion King franchises.
The story of James Earl Jones’s two marriages is a compelling sidebar to his colossal public career. It highlights how the man who voiced the greatest villain in cinematic history, and the most beloved father in animation, found his greatest roles—as a husband to Julienne Marie and Cecilia Hart, and as a father to Flynn Earl Jones—in the quiet moments away from the spotlight. His life, which ended in 2024, was a rich tapestry of artistic achievement and personal devotion, leaving behind a legacy that is both epic in scale and deeply human in its relationships.
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