Ian McDiarmid

Ian McDiarmid is a Scottish actor and director of stage and screen. He made his stage debut in 1972 and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1974, starring in several of Shakespeare's plays. McDiarmid received an Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role in Insignificance (1982) and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Faith Healer (2006). He gained recognition for his portrayal of Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious in the Star Wars franchise, starting from Return of the Jedi (1983). McDiarmid has also appeared in films such as Gorky Park (1983), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), Restoration (1995), Sleepy Hollow (1999), and The Lost City of Z (2016). Born on August 11, 1944, in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland, McDiarmid developed a passion for theater at a young age and has since become a respected figure in the industry.