KMC Forums - The Emperor Speaks - Interview with Ian McDiarmid

Episode III Emperor Speaks

Ian McDiarmid, who plays Emperor Palpatine in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith, offered SCI FI Wire spoilerish details about his mysterious and malevolent character, who rivals Darth Vader as the most evil character in the saga. "I think the Emperor is the incarnation of evil, and he's only really interested in power and manipulation," McDiarmid said in an interview. "Nothing else gives him any pleasure. He's a Sith from way back, and they don't have a moral universe. They want to create power for themselves by destroying others. It's very interesting to play a character that is irredeemable. There are even real people that have that kind of motiveless malignancy. It's like watching [former Yugoslavian president Slobodan] Milosevic, somebody that only seems interested in power and manipulation."

Scottish-born McDiarmid first appeared in the Star Wars films as the Emperor in Episode VI—Return of the Jedi in 1983, and he said that creator George Lucas brought him back for the series of prequel films. "When I heard George was going to do prequels, I kind of hoped he would give me a ring, and he did," McDiarmid said. "I knew he was in town, and I went in and had a 10-minute meeting. I hadn't seen him in 20 years, and he looked exactly the same to me. I had a glass of water. He asked, 'Do you know anyone that would like to play an Emperor?' I said, 'It's funny you should say that.' … He said, 'OK, you can give the water back,' and that was that," McDiarmid said with a chuckle. "He told me a little about the progress of Palpatine through the prequels and what the journey would be like. He said he would start quiet and end big, and that's exactly what's happened."

Episode III marks the end of the Star Wars saga, and McDiarmid admitted that he is sad to see it end. "I'll miss it, and it was great the last six years going to Australia to make a film," he said. "I think it's terrific for me that the final film is also my character's apotheosis. He really explodes in all his unbridled evil. Hypocrisy goes to one side and you see this creature for what he really is. It's been interesting to play the character in the last two movies on the sidelines, and now he moves into the middle. It's a very satisfying personal climax and a privilege." Star Wars: Episode III opens May 19.