We Can Be Heroes

Man let me tell you something. These past couple weeks have been a crime against my childhood. A lot of big name entertainers have been passing away recently and three of them were not only some of my childhood heroes, but heroes to multiple generations and I have to show them some love for the memories they gave me and countless others.

James Earl Jones.

James Earl Jones is literally the voice of multiple generations. Hailing from Arkabutla, Mississippi, James Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1931 to Ruth and Robert Earl Jones. His mother was a maid and a teacher and his father was a boxer, butler, chauffeur and eventually a performing actor, so it’s safe to say that being an entertainer was already in James Earl’s blood. His physical presence commanded both the screen and the stage with his performances in films and plays in The Great White Hope (1970), Roots (1977), Fences (1987-88), and Coming To America (1988). Of course if you’re a nerd/90’s baby like me then you will always know him as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King.

That deep and commanding voice belonged to the father of generations. For me James Earl was that guy you just wanted to meet because he dropped so much knowledge in the world of performance that you knew it wasn’t just acting. You knew it was part of who he really was. From the 70’s to the 80’s and even the 90’s we were privileged to watch him turn away from the dark side for Luke and guide Simba down the path of being the king he was truly meant to be.

Dame Maggie Smith.

Margaret Natalie Smith was born in Essex, England on December 28th, 1934. Her career in acting started in theater in the early 1950’s. Her breakout role in film started in the 1960’s when she co-starred in Othello (1964). I’ll never forget my earliest memories of Maggie Smith. My first introduction to her was in the Sister Act movies alongside Whoopi Goldberg. I remember seeing her and thinking nuns are very strict and mean. I also loved her in Hook alongside Robin Williams. This side of her was the Maggie Smith I became so familiar with when likened to her future role as Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series.

As I grew up watching Maggie Smith in the Harry Potter series I found that everything about her in the series was relatable from a real life standpoint. As Minerva McGonagall, Maggie Smith reminded me of a protective mother/grandmother like the matriarchs in my own life who raised me. Even though she was acting, it’s also like she wasn’t acting. You could tell she was the maternal figure that you could lean on when you needed help and wise council. Maggie Smith was basically an on-screen grandmother to all of us from the younger generation who grew up watching her. As her time in the Harry Potter series came to a close Maggie conquered another generation once more with her role as Violet Crawley on the Golden Globe winning British drama series Downton Abbey.

Kris Kristofferson.

One weekend in late August of 1998 my dad took me to the movies to see the first Marvel film ever, Blade (1998). The movie co-starred country music legend Kris Kristofferson as Blade’s mentor and right hand man, Abraham Whistler. Kristoffer Kristofferson was born June 22, 1936 to Lars Henry and Mary Ann Kristofferson. Kris first made a name for himself as an entertainer in the world of Country music with his earliest hit records including: Kristoffer (1970), The Silver Tongue Devil and I (1971) and Jesus Was A Capricorn (1972). Eventually Kris made the transition into acting in the Dennis Hopper directed The Last Movie (1971) and later found success with films like A Star is Born (1976) and Heaven’s Gate (1980).

I was first introduced to Kris Kristofferson when he starred in the Blade films in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. For me he appeared to be a cool on screen father/grandfather figure. I also liked how he was a tough guy who was quick with the one liners. He definitely added to the swagger of the series. I also liked a lot of his movies outside of the Blade series like Payback (1998) and Planet of the Apes (2001) As I grew up I was surprised to learn that he was a singer and a Country legend who was loved all over. It kind of hit me like “Wow, Whistler is a Country music legend”.

On September 9, 2024, James Earl Jones passed away at the age of 93, on September 27, 2024, Maggie Smith passed away at the age of 89 and on September 28, 2024, Kris Kristofferson passed away at the age of 88. These deaths of the entertainment world hit many fans heavy, myself including. Though it was certainly their time to go home, we will all miss these icons, perhaps too much if such a thing exist. These artist not only brought us joy, but they also helped raise us with their artistry. They taught us about light and dark, they taught us how to fight for what’s right and they even taught us how to embrace who we are meant to be. Voices of not just one generation, but many, they are all heroes that taught us that we too can be heroes.

~~Dedicated to the legacies of James Earl Jones, Dame Maggie Smith and Kris Kristofferson. Thank you for being our heroes.