Ian McDiarmid is Sheev Palpatine. If you close your eyes and think of that gravelly, sinister cackle or the way he draws out the word "do it," McDiarmid’s face is the one that appears behind the hood. But honestly, the answer to who played the emperor in star wars isn't just one name on a call sheet. It's actually a bit of a mess involving chimpanzee eyes, a Shakespearean stage actor, and a massive retcon that took over twenty years to fully bake.
George Lucas didn't have it all figured out in 1977. In the original film, the Emperor was just a shadowy mention—a political figurehead who had dissolved the Imperial Senate. By the time The Empire Strikes Back rolled around in 1980, we finally got a glimpse of the man pulling Vader’s strings, but it wasn't the man we know today.
The Chimp-Eyed Specter of 1980
Most people forget that the first time we ever saw the Emperor on screen, he was played by a woman. No, seriously.
In the theatrical cut of The Empire Strikes Back, the holographic projection of the Emperor was portrayed by Marjorie Eaton. She was an older actress who wore heavy prosthetic makeup, but the production team felt her eyes weren't "alien" enough. To fix this, they literally superimposed the eyes of a chimpanzee over her face during post-production. It created this unsettling, non-human flicker that felt genuinely demonic.
The voice, however, was someone else entirely. Clive Revill, a prolific character actor, provided the dialogue. He gave the Emperor a more aristocratically detached, almost bored tone compared to the snarling villainy we’d get later. If you watch an original VHS or a laserdisc copy today, you’re looking at a Chimpanzee/Eaton/Revill hybrid. It’s weird. It’s eerie. And for George Lucas, it eventually became a "mistake" that needed fixing.
Enter Ian McDiarmid: The Man Who Became the Sith
When Return of the Jedi entered production, Lucas knew he needed the Emperor to appear in the flesh. He couldn't just use a hologram and a voice actor; this character had to go toe-to-toe with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.
Initially, the production looked at older actors. They actually cast a man named Sebastian Shaw (who eventually played the unmasked Anakin Skywalker at the end of the film) for the role, but the requirements changed. They needed someone who could handle the physicality of the makeup and the intense, theatrical presence of a galactic dictator.
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Ian McDiarmid was only 37 years old when he got the part.
Think about that for a second. He was playing a character who was supposed to be over a hundred years old, rotting from the inside out due to Dark Side corruption. He spent four hours in the makeup chair every morning. It was grueling. But McDiarmid brought something Revill hadn't: a snarling, Shakespearean malevolence. He based the voice on a specific concept—the idea that the Emperor had a "frog in his throat" or a deep-seated physical decay that manifested in his speech.
The Prequels and the Art of the Long Game
When Lucas announced he was making the Prequels, fans wondered if he’d recast Palpatine. How do you show a younger version of a man who was already played by a young man in old-man makeup?
He kept McDiarmid. It was a stroke of genius.
In The Phantom Menace, McDiarmid got to play the "kindly" Senator Palpatine. It’s a masterclass in subtle acting. He’s right there. He’s the villain, but nobody in the audience (who hadn't seen the original trilogy) would know. He plays him with a soft, melodic voice that slowly, over three movies, descends into the rasping growl of the Emperor.
The 2004 "Special Edition" Erasure
This is where the history of who played the emperor in star wars gets controversial for purists. In 2004, for the DVD release of the Original Trilogy, George Lucas decided to achieve "continuity." He brought McDiarmid back to film a new version of the hologram scene in The Empire Strikes Back.
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They scrubbed Marjorie Eaton and Clive Revill from history.
Now, when you stream the movie on Disney+, you see McDiarmid in his Revenge of the Sith makeup, speaking updated lines that bridge the gap between the two trilogies. Some fans hate it because it removes a piece of film history. Others love it because it makes the six-movie arc feel like one cohesive story. Regardless of where you stand, it solidified McDiarmid as the definitive and only "real" Emperor in the eyes of the modern canon.
Beyond the Live Action: The Voices in the Dark
While McDiarmid is the face, the Emperor has lived on through several other actors in animation and video games. It’s a difficult voice to mimic without sounding like a caricature.
- Sam Witwer: Best known as Starkiller in The Force Unleashed and the voice of Darth Maul, Witwer has filled in as Palpatine many times. He captures the frantic, high-pitched rage perfectly.
- Nick Jameson: He voiced the character in the legendary 2003 Clone Wars micro-series and several 90s video games. He leaned heavily into the "aristocratic" side of the character.
- Tim Curry: Yes, that Tim Curry. After the original voice actor for The Clone Wars (Ian Abercrombie) passed away, the Rocky Horror legend stepped in. His version was oily, operatic, and distinctively "Curry."
It’s a testament to the character's design that so many different performers can step into the robes and still make the audience feel that same sense of dread. But even with all these talented voice actors, Lucasfilm always goes back to McDiarmid for the big moments, like his surprise return in The Rise of Skywalker.
The Physicality of Evil
Playing the Emperor wasn't just about the voice. In Revenge of the Sith, McDiarmid actually had to perform some of his own swordplay. While a stunt double (Bob Bowles) handled the high-flying acrobatics and the intense 4-on-1 Jedi duel, McDiarmid did the close-ups.
He famously enjoyed the "ugly" side of the character. He’s gone on record saying that Palpatine is more evil than even Darth Vader because Palpatine has no redeeming qualities. No tragic backstory. No lost love. He’s just a black hole of ambition. That psychological approach is why his performance feels so much heavier than a standard "bad guy" role.
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Identifying the Real Palpatine
If you’re trying to track the lineage of this role for a trivia night or just to settle a bet with a friend, remember the "Rule of Three."
- The Original: Marjorie Eaton (body) and Clive Revill (voice).
- The Icon: Ian McDiarmid (The only actor to appear in all three trilogies).
- The Successors: Ian Abercrombie and Sam Witwer (The definitive animated voices).
It’s rare for a single actor to hold onto a role for over forty years, especially one that involves so much latex and yellow contact lenses. McDiarmid’s transition from a young man playing an old man, to a middle-aged man playing a middle-aged man, back to an old man playing an old man is a unique career trajectory that will probably never happen again in Hollywood.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of the Emperor's portrayal, start by tracking down a "despecialized" or theatrical version of The Empire Strikes Back. Seeing the original chimp-eye version is a jarring experience that reminds you how much Star Wars was built on experimental, low-budget "magic" before it became a multi-billion dollar machine.
For those interested in the craft of acting, watch Revenge of the Sith and Return of the Jedi back-to-back. Focus specifically on McDiarmid's vocal range. You can actually hear the "Frog" he talks about—that rhythmic, percussive way he uses consonants to sound more predatory. It’s a masterclass in using your voice as a physical weapon.
Finally, check out the credits for The Clone Wars (Season 5 and 6) to hear the transition between Ian Abercrombie and Tim Curry. It’s a fascinating look at how two different legends interpret the same villainous DNA.
Next Steps for Your Star Wars Journey
- Compare the versions: Watch the 1980 theatrical hologram scene on YouTube versus the 2004 DVD/Disney+ version to see the technical evolution of the character.
- Research the makeup: Look into the work of Nick Dudman and the prosthetics teams who had to reinvent Palpatine’s "decayed" look across different decades of filmmaking technology.
- Listen to the radio dramas: Track down the 1980s Star Wars radio plays where Paul Hecht voiced the Emperor, offering a completely different take on the character's energy.