There is no doubt that the guest creating the most buzz at Star Wars Celebration is Ian McDiarmid, perhaps better known to fans as Emperor of the Universe. This is at least partly due to the fact that he has never attended a Celebration, so fans are clamoring to meet him.
James Arnold Taylor, the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi on the Clone Wars, took to the stage with McDiarmid yesterday to chat and learn a bit more about the man behind the Emperor. Eager fans filled the seats after standing (or sitting) in line for several hours, and then they were herded like cattle from a holding area to the actual presentation.
Ian McDiarmid first came to the attention of George Lucas after appearing in the play Seduced, and his agent received a call saying that Lucas would like to meet him. They met and talked briefly, but nothing was said about the films or even the part. However, Lucas said, “Hey, great nose!” as the meeting concluded. Soon after, his agent informed him that he had gotten the part. “Which part?” The reply: “The Emperor of the Universe.”
McDiarmid, upon hearing that, imagined his costumes would include a crown and elaborate robes, a wardrobe befitting an intergalactic ruler. He was more than a little surprised to learn that the Emperor wore only a cowled black robe. He was shown Clive Revill’s performance in The Empire Strikes Back and was asked to match the voice, but he thought the Emperor resembled a slimy black toad and adjusted his voice to sound more amphibian. There was always the concern that his voice would be dubbed over after production, though, but when Steven Spielberg saw his performance and said, “Oh my god, you’re so evil!” he knew then that his voice would be safe in the final version.
He acknowledges that he did not have a lot of lines in the film, but he feels they were good lines, and he had a particularly great time saying the word ‘friend,’ since he felt that Palpatine had none. Even for such a small role in the classic trilogy, he shows a great attention to detail, thinking of who Palpatine is beyond the scenes in the movie.
Some people may not realize that McDiarmid was not the first person cast in the role of Emperor. Though he did not mention anyone by name, he revealed that a “distinguished British actor” originally had the part but was unable to wear the menacing yellow contact lenses.
Years passed, and he had no contact with Lucas since he was thrown down the Death Star’s chute (“chute shooting, he called it), but Lucas asked to meet with him again, wearing the same shirt, McDiarmid quipped. He was asked to be in the prequels but was jealous when Christopher Lee received a lightsaber and he did not. Naturally, he was pleased when he was given his own Sith lightsaber in Revenge of the Sith, though a stunt double and swordmaster performed the more complicated fight scenes.
Interesting to note is that he referred to the opera in that film as a “prawn ballet,” and that very scene between Chancellor Palpatine and Anakin was shown to thunderous applause in the audience. It’s an excellent scene to watch for the more subtle expressions of McDiarmid, and to see the way his eyes light up just a little when discussing the demise of Darth Plagueis. The opera was chosen since Lucas felt that too audiences had already seen too much of Palpatine’s office by this point, and he wanted a different location.
McDiarmid was asked if he would like to have any of the powers possessed by the Emperor, and he admitted that a little electricity in his pinkie would be nice to have. Nothing much, nothing to kill or maim anyone, but a little something.
He also told of the time Liam Neeson approached him after a screening of The Phantom Menace and said, “You’re him! You never told me!” He was, of course, speaking of McDiarmid’s dual role as Senator Palpatine and Darth Sidious. The scripts never gave any indication they were going to be portrayed by the same actor, if I recall correctly.
And, as Swank-mo-tron already discussed, McDiarmid made quite a few references to the live-action Star Wars television series. He joked that Lucas would have to ask him to participate on bended knee, but he would truly hate it if someone else were to portray the Emperor while he was still alive.
When asked if he felt more evil playing the Emperor or the Senator, he chose the Senator, explaining that Senator Palpatine was so recognizable as a contemporary politician.
It was an incredible panel charged with excitement and energy. I suppose it shouldn’t come as such a surprise that fans love the bad guy, and the Emperor is such a great character, brought to vivid life by McDiarmid’s incredible portrayal of him.
