Ian McDiarmid – Voice Actor Profile & Notable Roles

Ian McDiarmid, born August 11, 1944, in Carnoustie, Scotland, is a Tony and Olivier Award–winning actor renowned for his darkly seductive, sinister voice. This legendary actor/voice actor immortalized Emperor Palpatine across six Star Wars films, creating one of cinema's most iconic villains with chilling mastery. Beyond the galaxy far, far away, he's dominated stage productions and reprised Palpatine in numerous Star Wars video games, including Battlefront II and Jedi: Fallen Order. His latest major role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker showcases unmatched vocal menace, cementing his legacy as an unparalleled voice actor.