The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) introduced on Thursday that it’s establishing a brand new award, generally known as the James Earl Jones Prize, on the 2026 Voice Arts Awards, with the inaugural recipient being display screen legend Laurence Fishburne.
This new prize was created in honor of one of many world’s most influential artists, not simply within the voice performing group, for his roles as Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in “The Lion King,” however within the leisure business at massive, and can rejoice different performers who embody his creative excellence, integrity, and cultural impression.
“We’re so excited to introduce the James Earl Jones Prize at this yr’s Voice Arts Awards! Having honored James himself at our first ever ceremony in 2014, we knew we needed to discover a extra everlasting method to commemorate every part that he represents to the voice performing group,” mentioned Rudy Gaskins, CEO of SOVAS, through assertion. “We couldn’t consider a extra deserving first recipient than Laurence Fishburne, whose dedication to the craft units the usual for generations of voice artists to return.”
Although he could also be finest recognized for his function as Morpheus within the Wachowski siblings’ blockbuster “The Matrix” trilogy, Fishburne has had dozens of memorable movie credit, together with two movies with late director John Singleton, the Academy Award-nominated “Boyz ‘n the Hood” and “Increased Studying,” plus Steven Spielberg’s “The Coloration Purple,” Steven Zaillian’s “Trying to find Bobby Fischer,” Clint Eastwood’s “Mystic River,” and cult classics like “Deep Cowl” and “King of New York.”
In 1992, Fishburne received a Tony Award for his portrayal of Sterling Johnson in August Wilson’s “Two Trains Working.” He received his first Emmy Award in 1993 for “The Field” episode of “Tribeca,” and his second for his one-man present, “Thurgood,” in 1997. In 1993, Fishburne additionally acquired a Greatest Actor Oscar nomination for the Tina Turner biopic, “What’s Love Acquired to Do with It.”
He was an Emmy Award nominee and an NAACP Picture Award winner for his starring function within the 1997 telefilm “Miss Evers’ Boys,” which he additionally executive-produced. Fishburne has been nominated 25 occasions for NAACP Picture awards, with seven wins — most lately in 2021 for Excellent Efficiency in a Quick Type Sequence for “#FreeRayshawn.” His most up-to-date Emmy win was additionally for his function in Quibi’s “#FreeRayshawn.”
Latest credit embody the “John Wick” franchise, the Netflix collection “The Witcher,” the FX restricted collection “Clipped,” Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” and voicing Alpha Trion within the animated movie “Transformers One.” voicing Alpha Trion.
Now getting into its twelfth yr, the Voice Arts Awards rejoice artistic excellence throughout greater than 150 classes, recognizing achievements in animation, movie, TV narration, audiobooks, audio description, video video games, political promoting, podcasts, and spoken phrase. The Voice Arts Awards are introduced by Audible, with further help from United Airways, Comcast NBCUniversal, SiriusXM, and Telemundo.
“Nice voice actors convey tales to life off the web page and create highly effective performances that resonate with listeners lengthy after the ultimate chapter ends,” mentioned Marshall Lewy, Head of Regional Content material, North America at Audible, through assertion. “We’re proud to help SOVAS in recognizing and empowering the unimaginable expertise who proceed to push boundaries in audio.”
As beforehand introduced, the 2026 Voice Arts Awards, which can happen on January 18 on the Beverly Hilton, may also honor Debbe Hirata with the Legacy Award and Fabián Toro with the Apex Award. The total listing of this yr’s nominees is offered on the SOVAS web site.
