Following the news of the death of James Earl Jones in September, many fellow actors who worked with the icon have shared their memories with him. The latest comes from Martin Lawrence, who worked with Jones in the 2008 comedy Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. While remembering the actor best known for lending his voice to Darth Vader and Mufasa, he recalled how much of a pro James Earl Jones was.
Jones died at the age of 93 on September 9 after contributing his talents to tons of beloved movies and TV shows dating back to the 1950s. When Martin Lawrence was asked about working with Jones, who played his father in the family comedy, here’s what he recalled:
We did a scene where I had to bring emotion. I had to get real dramatic with him, and I thought I was doing my best acting. … I thought I had him, and all he did was just drop a tear. And I said, ‘Damn!’ I said, ‘He’s good. Aw, he’s good.’ All that I just did, and all he did was just drop a tear. He said, ‘Young man, can you do that?’ … I can’t.
The actor died at the age of 93 nearly two months ago after an impressive legacy that will be remembered for eons to come. As Martin Lawrence remembered his time working alongside the legend, he absolutely had some pro moves at his disposal when it came to a key emotional scene the movie had. While Lawrence was trying his absolute hardest to provide what the scene called for, James Earl Jones could “just drop a tear” on the spot. Lawrence was impressed, but unable to get on his level.
Martin Lawrence told the story while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He also had this to say about the recent passing:
[I] loved him, miss him. God bless him. May he rest in peace. … He was so awesome and just such a great actor and such a great man to work with. It was such an honor.
Not every actor can say they had the chance to work with James Earl Jones in their career, but Martin Lawrence sounds absolutely grateful to be among the people with whom he shared the screen. Other actors who have paid tribute to Jones since his death have been Star Wars’ Mark Hamill who said “RIP dad” in his goodbye post.
His Field Of Dreams co-star Kevin Costner said he was “grateful to have been a witness” to the “kind of magic” the actor brought to screen. Arsenio Hall also recently shared that James Earl Jones’ “wisdom” fueled him in the Coming To America movies, and he was “never taken for granted.” The Sandlot’s young lead Patrick Renna also has shared a sweet Star Wars story from the baseball movie while Jones was on set.
It’s lovely to hear these stories about James Earl Jones following his death, and Lawrence’s shows his fun personality. If you’re curious about watching James Earl Jones and Martin Lawrence’s movie, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is now streaming with a Hulu subscription.
