Clive Revill, the Star Wars legend who first brought Emperor Palpatine to life in The Empire Strikes Back, has sadly pᴀssed away at age 94. Ian McDiarmid is now commonly known as the face, voice, and essence of the sinister Sheev Palpatine, but before he was brought into the role in Return of the Jedi, it was Revill who first brought the Galactic Empire’s mastermind to life. Revill’s original appearance in The Empire Strikes Back as a hologram was later replaced with McDiarmid’s Palpatine, but his legacy has always remained.
Sadly, as reported by THR, Revill has pᴀssed away at the age of 94. In addition to his portrayal of the original Emperor Palpatine, the New Zealand actor starred on Broadway and several other films. The actor had been diagnosed with dementia prior to his death on March 11, 2025, and ultimately pᴀssed away at a care facility in Sherman Oaks.
Clive Revill Began A Memorable Legacy For Emperor Palpatine
He Shaped The Villain’s Character Early On
Palpatine is now known as one of Star Wars’ most important and, arguably, best characters, and that legacy started with Revill’s portrayal of the emperor in the original The Empire Strikes Back. Revill is far from the first original actor to be replaced in future edits to the original Star Wars trilogy, most notably George Lucas’ infamous Special Editions; the original Anakin Skywalker actor, Sebastian Shaw, had his Force ghost in Return of the Jedi replaced by Hayden Christensen’s. This replacement, however, doesn’t take away from his impact on the franchise.
Revill’s Legacy Will Always Live On In Star Wars
He Carved The Path For An Iconic Character
While McDiarmid’s portrayal of Palpatine will always be the definitive version of the sinister emperor, it was Revill who paved the way for McDiarmid’s Palpatine to shine. There’s no doubt that McDiarmid looked to Revill’s initial portrayal to shape his own performance later on. Without Revill, there would have been no foundation to go off of for Return of the Jedi; to many, he will always be the original, frightening villain who was, at the time of The Empire Strikes Back‘s release, the man behind the curtain of the Empire.
Revill’s pᴀssing is sad news, but like many other Star Wars actors who have since pᴀssed on, his legacy in Star Wars will immortalize his presence forever. The Force may not be a tangible thing in our world, at least not in the way that it is in the Star Wars galaxy, but Revill has indeed become one with it in a way that will continue to keep this iconic piece of him alive. The Star Wars galaxy is a better place because of the role Revill played in it, no matter how brief.
Source: THR
Star Wars
- Created by
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George Lucas
- First Film
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Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
- Cast
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Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
- TV Show(s)
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The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
- Character(s)
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Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
