Summary
- Ian McDiarmid enjoyed playing Palpatine because of his manipulative nature.
- His role wasn't mapped out initially, evolving from a Senator to Emperor.
- Palpatine's manipulation of convincing Anakin to turn dark showcases his mastermind status.
One popular Star Wars actor shared how it felt playing their villainous role. In doing so, they admitted enjoying one specific part of it — being manipulative.
Star Wars debuted on May 25, 1977, with the first movie eventually being retitled Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. George Lucas directed the very first film, which changed pop culture forever. Since its debut, there have been 11 live-action features released and several iconic villains, too. One spoke about their character in the hit franchise and what they enjoyed about it.
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Ian McDiarmid spoke with Variety about his role in Star Wars to commemorate the Revenge of the Sith 20th anniversary. McDiarmid debuted in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983). He has since reprised the role in multiple Star Wars films, including The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), Revenge of the Sith (2005), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Recounting his role in Revenge of the Sith, where Palpatine took full control after years of malicious machinations, McDiarmid said, "The manipulation was always fun." He also shared the other elements that he loved during filming, including his longer screen time and having more moments with co-star Hayden Christensen, who plays Anakin Skywalker. He said:
I had more screen time, more time with Hayden [Christensen] — so that was more satisfying. I also had no idea that Palpatine would have power with a weapon, so to find that he was very good—to give my stunt double full credit—with a saber was interesting.
During the interview, they talked about how Palpatine's arc was mapped out when he was rehired in The Phantom Menace. According to McDiarmid, it was not mapped out at the time. He was in his 50s in The Phantom Menace and was still young enough to play Senator Palpatine. In Attack of the Clones, he became Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who manipulates the galaxy. In Revenge of the Sith, he fully becomes Emperor Palpatine, who creates the Galactic Empire. He returns as a resurrected Emperor Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker. When asked about playing the character later on and whether there was a sort of reverse-engineering of Palpatine's decrepitude, McDiarmid said the character's aging "wasn't really relevant" because what was significant was the "evil process." Even if Palpatine's body is getting weaker, his mind remains active. "Palpatine certainly had a hyperactive mind," he added.
Ian McDiarmid's Emperor Palpatine Is One Of The Greatest Villains In All Of Cinematic History
McDiarmid's portrayal of Emperor Palpatine, especially in Revenge of the Sith, was widely acclaimed. Many were impressed by how he convinced Anakin to turn to the dark side. In the Star Wars movies, Palpatine befriended Anakin when he was still the Chancellor of the Republic and treated him like a special protégé. He made Anakin feel important. However, the Jedi Council often distrusts Anakin and keeps him at arm's length. Palpatine takes advantage of this by filling the emotional gap as Anakin's mentor and father figure. Anakin fears losing people close to him because he has already lost his mom, and he has visions of his wife Padmé dying in childbirth. Palpatine uses his fears by encouraging Anakin to turn to the dark side because only they could prevent Padmé's death.
Manipulative Palpatine has planted seeds of doubt against the Jedi in Anakin. So when the Jedi Council asked him to spy on Palpatine, it helped the latter's case. The latter played the victim when Mace Windu tried to arrest Palpatine, leaving Anakin desperate and confused, ultimately helping kill Windu. Later, Anakin realizes he has crossed a line, but Palpatine promises to teach him the dark side powers to save Padmé. At that point, Anakin feels there's no turning back because he has already betrayed the Jedi. Palpatine names him Darth Vader. Palpatine is a pro when it comes to manipulating people. He twists Anakin's emotions and takes advantage of his fears. He also knows how to fake weakness to gain leverage over his opponent, like pretending to be helpless against Windu, so Anakin will side with him. While Darth Vader is often considered the most famous villain, Palpatine is the true mastermind.
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Source: Variety