Ian McDiarmid
Birthday: 11 August 1944, Carnoustie, Tayside, Scotland, UK
Height: 178 cm
Ian McDiarmid was born on August 11, 1944 in Carnoustie, Tayside, Scotland. He studied for a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of St. Andrews, but eventually found that his ...Show More
[on digitally replacing Clive Revill in the DVD release of Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Show more
[on digitally replacing Clive Revill in the DVD release of Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)] George felt that it was just and proper. When he made Empire, we hadn't met, and he didn't have a particular idea of who would play the Emperor or how the character would develop. And he had no notion that he would do the backstory - Episodes I, II, and III. So whoever played the Emperor in a mask and added to Revill's voice wouldn't seem authentic to the people who are going to watch the entire saga in the right order. It wouldn't make any sense. Since I was the Emperor [in the other Star Wars films], it felt appropriate that I should be inserted into Empire, and that's what George did. Hide
And then of course I thought Palpatine was a pretty good character. I like the notion that he didn't Show more
And then of course I thought Palpatine was a pretty good character. I like the notion that he didn't have any psychological subtlety or depth, that he was just solidly evil and the dirtiest word in his vocabulary was 'friend'. I thought that was terrific. Hide
I don't do the signings and public appearances. A lot of people do and make a lot of money out of th Show more
I don't do the signings and public appearances. A lot of people do and make a lot of money out of them - and good luck to them. I'm not ruling it out forever, though. One day I may be really poor. Hide
As an actor, you find yourself in many unusual places.
As an actor, you find yourself in many unusual places.
That's a pattern I'm very happy with. I mean I take theater seriously and I am primarily a stage act Show more
That's a pattern I'm very happy with. I mean I take theater seriously and I am primarily a stage actor and every now and again a movie comes along and I'm happy to do it if the part's good. Hide
[on his co-star Yoda in the Star Wars films] He's terrible. Never turns up. Sends his funny little d Show more
[on his co-star Yoda in the Star Wars films] He's terrible. Never turns up. Sends his funny little dummy that gets moved around... most unprofessional. Hide
[on his role as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in Star Wars] To wear the costume to play the character Show more
[on his role as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in Star Wars] To wear the costume to play the character I'm playing is wonderfully empowering. The colors, the textures... people keep coming up to me and saying, "Is it rubber? Is it leather?" I don't quite know what it is. It feels reptilian, which is exactly right. Hide
Ian McDiarmid's FILMOGRAPHY
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as Actor (76)
Ian McDiarmid'S roles
