Ian McDiarmid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ian McDiarmid
McDiarmid in 2020
Born	(1944-08-11) 11 August 1944 (age 80) Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
Alma mater	University of St Andrews (MA) Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Occupation	Actor director
Years active	1972–present

Ian McDiarmid (born 11 August 1944) is a Scottish actor and director. He is famous for playing Palpatine in the Star Wars movies. He has also won important awards for his work in theatre, like an Olivier Award for Best Actor and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

Early life

Ian McDiarmid was born in Carnoustie, Scotland, on 11 August 1944. When he was five years old, his father took him to see a show in Dundee. He said it "fascinated" and "scared" him, and he knew then that he wanted to be involved in theatre.

Even though he loved theatre, Ian first studied psychology at the University of St Andrews. After that, he decided to follow his dream of acting. He went to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow to train as an actor. In 1968, he won a gold medal for his acting from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Career

Theatre work

Ian McDiarmid has worked a lot in British theatre as both an actor and a director. He has acted in many plays by William Shakespeare, including Hamlet and Macbeth.

From 1990 to 2001, McDiarmid was one of the main directors at the Almeida Theatre in London. During this time, the theatre became very successful, with many famous actors performing there. He also directed several plays himself. In 2006, he won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for his role in the play Faith Healer.

Star Wars

McDiarmid's robes from Return of the Jedi (1983) on display

Ian McDiarmid is best known for his role as the Emperor (also known as Darth Sidious) in the Star Wars movies. He first played the evil Emperor in Return of the Jedi (1983).

Years later, he returned to play a younger version of the character in the Star Wars prequel films: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. In these movies, he played two sides of the character: the charming Senator Palpatine and his secret, evil identity as Darth Sidious.

He also returned as Palpatine in the 2019 film The Rise of Skywalker, which was the final movie in the main Star Wars story. McDiarmid's voice and image were also added to a special edition of The Empire Strikes Back, meaning he has appeared in every live-action Star Wars film where Palpatine is seen.

Beyond the movies, he has voiced Palpatine/Darth Sidious in Star Wars video games and TV shows like Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Tales of the Jedi.

Television and radio

Ian McDiarmid has appeared in many TV shows and radio dramas. In 1990, he was in an episode of Inspector Morse. He also played a police detective in the BBC's 2002 show Crime and Punishment.

In 2005, he voiced Satan in a radio drama based on the famous poem Paradise Lost. He also played Denis Thatcher, the husband of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in the 2009 TV film Margaret. In 2014, he played a leading role in the BBC drama 37 Days, which was about the events leading up to the First World War.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Ian McDiarmid para niños