Darth Vader Could Have Sounded Very Different

David Prowse, who played Darth Vader (not the voice and also not the face…it’s complicated) passed away at the age of 85 from Covid related health problems.

Dave Prowse was the physical actor for Darth Vader but, to hear him talk, he THOUGHT he should also have done the voice.

And, as the story goes, Prowse THOUGHT his voice was going to be used all through the filming process.

One bit of Star Wars lore says that Prowse didn’t find out his voice had been replaced until the premiere, but Prowse has denied this.

Still, this man was crapped on by George Lucas on at least three occasions:

1.) Lucas had never intended to use his voice so at least he could have TOLD Prowse that. Can you imagine the embarrassment of telling all your friends that you were going to be the lead villain in a movie? Then, they go to see it and say, “Dude, that was James Earl Jones”.

2.) When “Return of the Jedi” came out we see Vader’s face for the first time. He has, like, three lines and then he dies. Seems like a nice time to let the giant in the costume show his face and talk, right?

NOPE!

They cast a completely different actor (Sebastian Shaw) to play the unmasked Vader.

3.) In 2010, George banned Dave Prowse from appearing at official Star Wars events. According to Lucas, Prowse had “burned too many bridges”.

In addition, Prowse claimed his contract for “ROTJ” had a share-of-profit clause which, he says, he never got any of.

Dave Prowse always maintained that they should have left HIS voice in as Vader. “I think he (James Earl Jones) did a wonderful job, but I still think I would have done equally as well given the opportunity.”

You can be the judge of that.