George Lucas Almost Cast a Completely Different Actor for Darth Vader

Darth Vader is without a doubt one of the most iconic fictional characters, recognized by his ominous black suit and his voice. Plenty of other works of fiction and art reference the character, and it’s one of those references we can always easily spot.

But, did you know that the iconic role almost went to a completely different actor? The one that at the time would be perhaps even favored above James Earl Jones under the circumstances?

While filming ‘A New Hope’ in London during the late 1970s, David Prowse, the actor behind Darth Vader’s physical performance, spoke all of Vader’s lines from behind the mask. However, due to the mask muffling his speech, his lines had to be dubbed over in post-production. Prowse assumed he would do the dubbing himself, but logistical and accent concerns led George Lucas to search for another voice. Lucas sought a deep, distinguished voice fitting for the dark and mysterious Darth Vader. Ultimately, James Earl Jones, a relatively unknown actor at the time, was chosen for the iconic role over one other well-known actor – Orson Welles.

According to James Earl Jones in “The Making of Star Wars,” George Lucas contacted Orson Welles about voicing Darth Vader. Whether Welles expressed interest remains unknown, but later comments made by George Lucas certainly point in the direction of that being a possibility.

Welles was at that time one of the most glamorous names in Hollywood, and he would certainly from a logical standpoint be a better choice, but Lucas knew that the voice had to be iconic, something that people would remember, and that description was only found with Jones’ voice.

Orson Welles was a multifaceted talent known for his groundbreaking work in film, radio, and theater. His directorial debut, ‘Citizen Kane,’ is often referenced as one of the greatest films ever made, it showcased his skill as a storyteller and actor. Welles’ innovative approach to filmmaking and memorable performances in classics like ‘Touch of Evil’ and ‘The Third Man’ solidified his status as a legendary figure in cinema history.

Orson Welles gained widespread attention with his 1938 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ ‘War of the Worlds,’ which caused panic among listeners who mistook it for a real news broadcast.

In any case, Welles had artistic immortality even before Darth Vader was in play, and following this ill-fated casting, several different actors took up the mantle, either as physical bodies or as voice.

In the original Star Wars trilogy, David Prowse wore the Darth Vader suit, while Bob Anderson performed the sword fighting and Sebastian Shaw portrayed Vader’s unmasking scene. Hayden Christensen took on the role in ‘Revenge of the Sith,’ and Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous wore the costume in ‘Rogue One.’ However, James Earl Jones is most closely associated with Vader for providing his iconic voice in almost all of his appearances on screen, despite never physically portraying the character.

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