James Earl Jones’ controversial AI decision will let Darth Vader live on, but it raises concerns among actors

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One of the late James Earl Jones’ most iconic and beloved roles was as Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy.
Jones, who died Monday at the age of 93, provided the voice of the character in the franchise, and now, through artificial intelligence, his signature voice and performance can live on.
According to Vanity Fair, Jones signed over the rights to his voice as Darth Vader to Lucasfilm, the company behind the “Star Wars” universe, and Ukranian startup Respeecher in 2022.
Matthew Wood, a sound editor with the company, told the outlet that after recording a brief line of dialogue in 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker,” Jones “had mentioned he was looking into winding down this particular character.”
JAMES EARL JONES DEAD AT 93
James Earl Jones’ vocal performance as Darth Vader will live on via artificial intelligence. (Getty Images)
Wood said he showed Jones Respeecher’s work, and the actor signed off on using archival recordings of his voice, adding that they kept him informed on plans for the character and listened to his advice on how to keep it consistent with Jones’ past work. 
Darth Vader later appeared in the 2022 Disney+ series “Obi-Wan Kenobi” after Jones’ official retirement that year. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, also had his voice “de-aged” by Respeecher for an appearance in “The Mandalorian,” also on Disney+.
“He had mentioned he was looking into winding down this particular character.”
Representatives for Lucasfilm, Respeecher and Jones’ estate did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 
News that Jones had signed over his voice rights, at least for the role of Darth Vader, has raised concerns for actors after last year’s strikes focused on AI replacing actors and the ongoing strike by video game performers.
“If the game companies, the movie companies, gave the consent, compensation transparency to every actor that they gave James Earl Jones, we wouldn’t be on strike,” Zeke Alton, a voice actor and member of SAG-AFTRA’s interactive media agreement negotiating committee told The Associated Press. 
“It proves that they can do it. They just don’t want to for people that they feel don’t have the leverage to bargain for themselves.”
Other actors expressed concerns about losing work in voice matching, which can often provide a steady stream of work for voice performers. But Crispin Freeman, a voice actor who has done work matching Orlando Bloom’s voice in “Pirates of the Caribbean,” told the AP that even if it does eliminate some jobs, the technology doesn’t hurt “the ability of future artists to blaze their own trails” in new roles.
Jones’ contract has created concerns among some actors about losing future work, while others hope his deal with Lucasfilm for his voice work as Darth Vader can set a helpful precedent in future negotiations. (Michael Zorn/Invision)
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However, the “Star Wars” franchise is facing a potential legal battle over the recreation of another performer.
The Times reported earlier this week that the filmmakers behind 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Lucasfilm and production company Lunak Heavy Industries (U.K.), are being sued over the AI replication of the late Peter Cushing in the prequel film.
Cushing, who played Grand Moff Tarkin in the original “Star Wars” film, died in 1994, but his likeness was used in “Rogue One,” thanks to special effects and British actor Guy Henry serving as a body double.
A friend of Cushing, Kevin Francis, is suing the filmmakers through his company, claiming the late actor did not grant permission for anyone to recreate his image without his approval. He’s also bringing claims against the executors of Cushing’s estate, who have also both died, and his previous representation. 
Peter Cushing, who appeared in the first “Star Wars” film alongside Carrie Fisher and David Prowse (as Darth Vader on set) and James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader). (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
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The outlet reported that Cushing signed an agreement in 1993 that gave Francis approval of his friend’s likeness. 
The High Court upheld a previous ruling denying Lucasfilm and Lunak Heavy Industries’ motion to dismiss the case. 
Representatives for Francis and Lucasfilm did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Cushing’s appearance in “Rogue One” was just the start of controversial appearances by deceased performers in films.
Earlier this month, “Alien: Romulus” director Fede Alvarez defended the use of the late Ian Holm’s likeness in the film, recreated through AI.
Ian Holm, who starred with Sigourney Weaver in the original “Alien” film and died in 2020, had his likeness recreated by AI in the newly released “Alien: Romulus.” (Robert Penn/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock )
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“We were not trying to do what can’t be done, which is to reproduce that person’s talent as an actor, because this is another character,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “The only thing they have in common is the likeness.”
Alvarez said he reached out to Holm’s widow, Sophie de Stempel, to ask for her input and approval.
“We did it all with a lot of respect and always with the authorization of his family, his children and his widow, who said, ‘We would love to see his likeness again,’” he said.
While the Cushing lawsuit is taking place in the U.K., new legislation in California addressing actors’ liknesses, living and dead, is expected to hit Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk soon.
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The state Senate passed two bills in August — AB 1836, which restricts the usage of AI to create digital replicas of dead performers without the consent of their estates, and AB 2602, which increases consent requirements for living performers for AI replicas.
“Both of these bills have been a legislative priority for the union on behalf of our membership and beyond, making explicit consent in California mandatory. We look forward to these bills being signed by Governor Gavin Newsom,” the actor’s guild, SAG-AFTRA, said in a statement on its website.
The union has also supported new federal legislation recently reintroduced in Congress, the No Fakes Act.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.