Movies - TV
Emperor Palpatine’s Only Redeeming Quality According To His Star Wars Actor
By DEVIN MEENAN
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Ian McDiarmid, who portrayed Emperor Palpatine in "Star Wars," shared his reflections on the iconic role, depicting the mastermind villain.
McDiarmid admitted to the complexities of his character, stating, “If [Darth] Vader is the great dark icon of our times, I'm blacker than him. I'm the blackest of the black.”
Having portrayed Palpatine for over four decades and aware of his profound evil, McDiarmid believes the character has only one redeeming quality.
McDiarmid notes, “[Palpatine is] a patron of the arts,” pointing out that as Supreme Chancellor, he lined his office with bronze statues due to his appreciation for craftsmanship.
In “Revenge of the Sith,” Palpatine shares the Tragedy of Sith necromancer Darth Plagueis with Anakin Skywalker in a theater, revealing the Sith Lord loves good opera.