The popular actor James Earl Jones, who voiced Darth Vader, passed away on September 9, 2024, leaving behind his family, which includes his wife, son, and siblings.
Jones was born on January 17, 1931, to his dad, Robert Earl Jones, and his mom, Ruth Connolly. However, his old man left his family not long after his birth.
Jones’s father didn’t know him until the mid-1950s. While he was his parents’ only child, his dad also had another son.
James Earl Jones had a half-sibling, Matthew Earl Jones, who was reportedly adopted by their dad, Robert.
James Earl Jones’s half-sibling has worked on and off-camera in film, television, commercials, and the music industry!
Jones’s half-sibling has been working at Arizona Commerce Authority’s Film & Digital Media Program as their Director since 2016. Having worked on both sides of the camera, he has over 33 years of experience in production in the New York, Japanese, LA, and Phoenix markets.
He has worn different hats: actor, musician, and producer. He has worked with celebrities like Queen Latifah, Ray Charles, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jodie Foster, and Angela Lansbury.
Matthew has worked on different projects, including Line Producer on Manifest Destiny Down, APOC on Furious 7, and Celebrity Judge for Arizona Idol.
In addition to film and television, he has made a name for himself in the commercials and music industry. He has produced over 50 national and international TV commercials.
Some of his past clients include Bandai America, Castrol, Home Depot, Honda, Nissan, Nivea, Ziploc, etc.
Furthermore, before starting his stint as a Director at the Arizona Film & Digital Media Program, he also worked for several other companies.
James Earl Jones’s half-brother was the Executive Director at Earl Jones Institute for Film &V TV, Inc. and Translight Marketing and Media, LLC. He was also the President and CEO of Blacktop Films.
Despite being one of the few black kids in town, Matthew never felt like an outsider growing up!
Matthew grew up in New Canaan, Connecticut. He describes that neighborhood as a lovely, white-picket-fence suburb ripped straight from a Norman Rockwell painting.
He is the son of Jumelle Jones and Robert Earl Jones, the trailblazing African-American actor who began his career in 1939 in all-black films.
According to a Facebook post, Robert had adopted Matthew. Nevertheless, his half-brother, James, is on his dad’s side.
Matthew’s mom was the first African-American teacher at the prestigious New Canaan Country School. This helped him attend on a tuition waiver and also excel academically.
Also, James’s half-sibling never felt like an outsider growing up because his mother was so loved and respected. He was the second African-American NCCS graduate.
After graduating high school, he received an academic scholarship to Dartmouth College. There, he played hockey, lacrosse, and football. He graduated in 1979.
Unfortunately, Matthew’s parents had already divorced, but he had maintained close relationships with them. He revealed that he was extremely close to his dad.
Additional Information
- Matthew Earl Jones shares a blissful marital life with his wife, Jodi Floyd. While it remains a mystery when they got married, according to his Facebook, they tied the knot on March 8, 2020. The couple also share a daughter, Sophia Gresham Jones.
- James Earl Jones had two spouses. His first wife was the actress and singer Julienne Marie. Following their divorce, he married Cecilia Hart, with whom he had a son, Flynn. Hart passed away in October 2016.
