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Ian McDiarmid

Highest Rated: 89% Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

Lowest Rated: 0% The Awakening (1980)

Birthday: Aug 11, 1944

Birthplace: Carnoustie, Scotland, UK

Despite a résumé rich in classical stage roles and numerous accolades from the British critics, Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid was a pop cultural nonentity until he took an undemanding paying job as the despotic Emperor Palpatine in "Return of the Jedi" (1983), the second sequel to George Lucas' paradigm-smashing space opera "Star Wars" (1977). Obscured under heavy makeup for his time onscreen, McDiarmid could not have anticipated how much of a bite the role would take out of his professional life. Immortalized in Lucasfilm merchandising for 15 years as he returned to a purposeful career as an actor, director and theatrical impresario, McDiarmid was recalled to the franchise for "The Phantom Menace" (1999), a prequel to "Star Wars" that required the veteran actor to reinterpret the same character fifty years younger. He would play the vampiric Palpatine twice more, in "Attack of the Clones" (2002) and "Revenge of the Sith" (2005), but the stage would remain McDiarmid's true home. In 2008, the 61-year-old actor suffered a heart attack while performing at London's Gielgud Theater, but staved off an EMS crew until after he had taken his curtain call. Seen later as the star of the U.K. miniseries "City of Vice" (2008) and as controversial British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's doting husband in "Margaret" (2009), McDiarmid remained what he had long been to the theatregoers of London's West End: a consummate and highly valued character actor.

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Highest-Rated Movies

89% 84% Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Watchlist
86% 58% The Lost City of Z Watchlist
84% 63% Dragonslayer
Watchlist
82% 94% Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi Watchlist 80% 66% Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Watchlist
78% 59% Gorky Park
Watchlist
70% 80% Sleepy Hollow Watchlist 65% 56% Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Watchlist 52% 59% Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Watchlist 51% 86% Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Watchlist

Filmography

Movies TV Shows
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - 40th Anniversary 99% 2023 The Emperor Actor Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 51% 86% 2019 Palpatine Actor The Lost City of Z 86% 58% 2016 Sir George Goldie Actor Margaret 44% 2009 Denis Thatcher Actor The Odds 2009 Actor City of Vice 60% 2008 Actor Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith 80% 66% 2005 Supreme Chancellor/Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious Actor The Last King 88% 2004 Sir Edward Hyde Actor Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones 65% 56% 2002 Supreme Chancellor Palpatine Actor All the King's Men 68% 1999 Rev. Pierrepoint Edwards Actor Sleepy Hollow 70% 80% 1999 Dr. Thomas Lancaster Actor Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 52% 59% 1999 Senator Palpatine/Supreme Chancellor Palpatine Actor Great Expectations 73% 1999 Jaggers Actor Inquest 82% 1996 Doctor Popper Actor Rasputin 79% 1996 Actor Annie: A Royal Adventure 56% 1995 Dr. Eli Eon Actor Heart of Darkness 50% 39% 1994 Doctor Actor Chernobyl: The Final Warning 50% 1991 Dr. Vatisenko Actor Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 89% 84% 1988 Arthur Actor Gorky Park 78% 59% 1983 Prof. Andreev Actor Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi 82% 94% 1983 The Emperor Actor Dragonslayer 84% 63% 1981 Brother Jacobus Actor Richard's Things 17% 1980 Burglar Actor The Awakening 0% 22% 1980 Dr. Richter Actor
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