Matthew Broderick had as close a relationship with James Earl Jones as he did with the characters he portrayed on screen.

Broderick, who played Simba, the son of Jones’ Mufasa, in the popular 1994 animated film The Lion King and its successor from 1998 The Lion King II: Simba’s Pridespoke exclusively to PEOPLE following Jones’ death on Monday, September 9, at the age of 93.

“I’m so happy that I had the chance to work with James Earl Jones. That he played my father, my king! And that I got to know him a little bit,” he tells PEOPLE. “Over the years, my paths crossed from time to time and I was always so excited to see him.”

The 62-year-old actor remembers Jones as being “so open” and having a “big grin, lots of laughter and a genuine curiosity about others.”

“He was a great listener,” says Broderick. “Not what you would expect from that stern, regal, beautiful voice. His brilliant, terrifying, heartbreaking performance in Fences is perhaps my favorite, but there are really so many great performances in this long, great career that it is impossible to pick a favorite.”

“One of the very best of his or any generation,” he adds. “A great American actor.”

The first groundbreaking Lion King The film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, who says Jones “left an indelible mark on the world of theater, film and animation.”

“His portrayal of Mufasa was absolutely perfect and taught a generation what fatherhood means. I am sure his powerful voice will continue to resonate through our living rooms and keep his spirit alive for years to come,” Minkoff tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. “He lives in all of us.”

Jim Cummings, who voiced the character Ed the hyena, also paid tribute to Jones, sharing a photo of him and a clip of some of the voice actors in a recording booth in an Instagram Stories post.

Besides Mufasa, Jones is known for his dubbing star Wars“Darth Vader,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger in a statement, “is one of the greatest characters in cinema history.”

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“An acclaimed stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits, he brought stories to life with his uniquely commanding presence and true richness of spirit that have left an indelible mark on generations of audiences,” he continued in his statement. “On behalf of all of us at Disney, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”