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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Friday 13 September 2024
James Earl Jones’ Darth Vader voice lives on through AI.

Voice actors see promise and peril in that

By SARAH PARVINI Hollywood’s video game But a sound editor with
AP Technology Writer performers announced a Skywalker Sound told Van-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Over work stoppage their sec- ity Fair that Jones signed
the course of an acting ond in a decade after off on the use of archival
career that spanned more more than 18 months of ne- recordings to keep Darth
than six decades, James gotiations over a new inter- Vader alive and that he
Earl Jones’ voice became active media agreement guided Darth Vader’s per-
an indelible piece of his with game industry giants formance for the Disney+
work as a performer. broke down over artificial show as “a benevolent
On screen, Jones, who died intelligence protections. godfather.” Voice actor
Monday at 93, brought Members of the union have Brock Powell said that the
to life a reclusive writer said they are not anti-AI. ability to use an actor like
coaxed back into the spot- The performers are worried, Jones’ voice in perpetuity
light in “Field of Dreams” however, the technology could eliminate the need
and a haughty king of a could provide studios with for actors who specialize in
fictional land in “Coming a means to displace them. matching voices. That type
To America.” On stage, he Concerns about how mov- of work provides steady
won two Tony Awards for ie studios will use AI helped jobs for many performers,
“The Great White Hope” James Earl Jones accepts the special Tony award for Lifetime fuel last year’s film and tele- they said, who can recre-
and “Fences.” His work as a Achievement in the Theatre at the 71st annual Tony Awards on vision strikes by the union, ate a famous voice for vid-
voice actor the regal dig- Sunday, June 11, 2017, in New York. which lasted four months. eo games, animated series
nity of his portrayal of Mu- Associated Press Jones, who overcame a and other types of media.
fasa in “The Lion King” and for his appearance as Luke fairly compensate an ac- childhood stutter, said in “To quote ‘Jurassic Park,’
the menacing and deep Skywalker in “The Mandalo- tor for their performance previous interviews that he the scientists were so pre-
timbre he lent to Darth Va- rian.” Voice actors say they with consent. Zeke Alton, a was “happy to be able to occupied with whether or
der in “Star Wars” helped fear AI could reduce or voice actor and member talk at all, because there not they could, they didn’t
cement his place as a leg- eliminate job opportunities of SAG-AFTRA’s interactive was time when I couldn’t.” stop to ask if we should,”
endary actor among gen- because the technology media agreement negoti- His goal, he said, was for his Powell said.
erations of fans. could be used to replicate ating committee, said it’s voice to be clear. Speaking That type of AI use could
But in the wake of his one performance into a “amazing” that Jones was with The Associated Press also reduce “ingenuity” in
death, an aspect of Jones’ number of other move- involved in the process of in 1994, he said that he acting, they said, because

career has come to the ments without their consent replicating his voice. tried to make Darth Vader new actors might not have
fore: consenting to the use a concern that led video “If the game companies, “more human and more the chance to come in and
of artificial intelligence to game performers with the the movie companies, interesting.” But George Lu- reinvigorate a role.
replicate his performance Screen Actors Guild-Amer- gave the consent, com- cas, the filmmaker who cre- Crispin Freeman, an ac-
as Darth Vader after he ican Federation of Televi- pensation transparency ated “Star Wars,” advised tor who has done voice
stepped away from the sion and Radio Artists to go to every actor that they him to “go back to a very matching work replicating
role. Skywalker Sound and on strike in late July. gave James Earl Jones, narrow band of expression” Orlando Bloom’s voice in
the Ukrainian company To some, Jones’ decision we wouldn’t be on strike,” because the mechanical “Pirates of the Caribbe-
Respeecher used AI to rec- to allow AI to replicate his Alton said. “It proves that parts of the villain’s body an,” said that the technol-
reate Jones’ villain for the voice raises questions about they can do it. They just would make it difficult for ogy may take away voice
2022 show “Obi-Wan Keno- voice acting as an art, but don’t want to for people him to sound more human. matching roles, but doesn’t
bi” on Disney+. Mark Ha- also potentially helps lay that they feel don’t have Neither Skywalker Sound harm “the ability of future
mill’s voice was also “de- the ground work for trans- the leverage to bargain for nor Respeecher responded artists to blaze their own
aged” using Respeecher parent AI agreements that themselves.” to a request for comment. trails” in new roles.q

$10,000 literary award named for the late author Gabe Hudson

goes to Ayana Mathis’ ‘The Unsettled’

By HILLEL ITALIE other writers. well as a friend to many who sought
AP National Writer “It is the privilege of a lifetime to his advice on writing,” Semere said in
NEW YORK (AP) — A $10,000 literary become part of Gabe’s legacy of a statement. “I recall Gabe submit-
award named for the late author- generosity, literary community, and ting to McSweeney’s early on, and
editor-podcaster Gabe Hudson has artistic excellence as the inaugural the thrill he experienced when Mc-
been established by the publisher recipient of this distinguished award,” Sweeney’s published a submission. I
McSweeney’s, where Hudson once Mathis said in a statement. can think of no better way for Gabe’s
worked. The prize, which honors the best sec- name to live on than to establish the
The inaugural winner, Ayana Mathis’ ond work of fiction of the previous Gabe Hudson Prize at McSweeney’s
“The Unsettled,” was announced year, was decided upon by a four- to award writers whose second books
Thursday, on what would have been judge panel led by novelist Akhil exemplify the notions of humor, satire
Hudson’s 53rd birthday. He died last Sharma. Hudson’s mother, Sanchia and the generosity of spirit for which
year from complications due to un- Semere, provided funding for the Gabe was known.”
diagnosed diabetes. Hudson pub- award. Runners-up for the Hudson prize
lished two books, the story collection “Gabe, my son, wanted to be a writ- were Justin Torres’ “Blackouts,” Nana
This cover image released by “Dear Mr. President” and the novel er from a young age. He was a vo- Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s “Chain
Knopf shows “The Unsettled” “Gork the Teenage Dragon,” and racious reader, and was friends with Gang All-Stars” and Hilary Leichter’s
by Ayana Mathis. was widely admired for his support of many in the writing community, as “Terrace Story.”q
Associated Press