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Ian Mcdiarmid




Ian McDiarmid (born August 11 , 1944 ) is a Scottish Actor born in Carnoustie in Angus . He was educated at St Andrews University and the Royal Scottish Academy in Glasgow .


WORK IN STAR WARS


in the 2004 re-release of ''''.]]
Ian McDiarmid is mostly a stage actor, but after a bit part in the film '', and then as a younger Senator and Chancellor Palpatine in Episodes I-III, he is one of the few actors who has depicted the same character in both of the Star Wars trilogies (as well as playing a younger version of the character as an older actor).

In the '', McDiarmid has now appeared in at least one version of every film in which Palpatine appears.

in ''''.]]
He was a relatively unknown charismatic stage actor in his thirties when he was cast as the most powerful being in the when playing Darth Sidious, but created a different, more attractive, pleasant, and seductive character in playing Palpatine . While he had received prior recognition from fans, he received widespread attention and critical praise for this expanded role in the prequels.


THEATRICAL WORK


McDiarmid is renowned for his work in British theatre, having won plaudits as an actor and director from a wide variety of sources. From 1990 until 2001 , he and Jonathan Kent served as the artistic directors of the Almeida Theatre , located in the Islington district of London . Their tenure was marked by a string of highly successful performances involving 'big name' actors usually seen in films such as Kevin Spacey and Joseph Fiennes .

One theatrical performance of note is his portrayal of the lead character Harry Hackamore in Sam Shepard 's play Seduced. By McDiarmid's own description, Hackamore was a '' Howard Hughes -type character''. To play the part, he was made-up in prosthetics, including a false beard and long fingernails, to resemble Hackamore. McDiarmid was only 37 at the time, and this convinced George Lucas and Richard Marquand that he could convincingly play a much older character in extreme cinematic close-up, which helped him land the role of Palpatine .


FILMOGRAPHY


Theatrical films



TV films



EXTERNAL LINKS



  NAME McDiarmid, Ian
  SHORT DESCRIPTION British actor
  DATE OF BIRTH 1944-08-11
  PLACE OF BIRTH Carnoustie, Angus , Scotland