As a die-hard Star Wars fan who has spent countless hours dissecting every detail of the franchise’s expansive lore, I can confidently say that the story behind the original Emperor is one of the most fascinating and intriguing tales in the entire saga. It’s not every day you learn that a woman, Marjorie Eaton, was the first to bring the iconic villain to life on screen, hidden beneath layers of makeup and chimpanzee eyes no less!
In our ongoing series tracing the story of the legendary Star Wars saga, we can’t help but delve deeper into the character known as The Emperor. His true identity, Sheev Palpatine, was uncovered later, although he is commonly recognized as Darth Sidious within this universe. The Prequel Trilogy expands upon his origins, revealing him to be the hidden force guiding both Vader and the Empire in the Original Trilogy.
Most fans of Star Wars may immediately think of Ian McDiarmid when they hear the character Palpatine, but it’s important to note that he wasn’t the first actor to play the Emperor. In fact, multiple actors portrayed the Emperor before McDiarmid; however, he was added to the original movies in later edits due to continuity concerns.
In this write-up, we will delve into the first actor who brought the original Emperor to life on screen. The reason for this focus lies in the intriguing tale associated with the character and the fascinating link it presents between “Star Wars” and monkeys – an extension of the recent article discussing Yoda’s initial potential portrayer as a simian.
As stated, the story of the Emperor is one of the best ones in the whole franchise (save for what they did in the Sequel Trilogy, when “somehow, Palpatine survived”), and it deserves to be told. Sheev Palatine was a powerful Force user who was trained to become a Sith by Darth Plagueis. He would later betray his master and become the only Sith Lord, training Darth Maul and Count Dooku before manipulating Anakin Skywalker into joining him and becoming Darth Vader.
In time, he seized power within the Republic, demolished it, and built the Galactic Empire with himself as the Emperor, instituting a cruel regime that ultimately fell to the Rebellion. It was believed he perished, but he found a way to survive and resurfaced as an adversary in the Sequel Trilogy, only to appear to meet his end again.
In the Original Trilogy, Palpatine’s identity remained a mystery, but his background story was unveiled in the Prequel Trilogy. The character was initially brought to life by Ian McDiarmid, and later, he was incorporated into the original films. However, you might be wondering who played him in the earlier movies?
Interestingly enough, you might be surprised to learn that the character of the Emperor in Star Wars: Episode V was initially played by a woman named Marjorie Eaton. She donned the role of the hologram image we’re familiar with. Despite her identity being concealed under thick makeup, it was Rick Baker who used his wife, Elaine, for initial tests to perfect the look. The makeup itself was designed by Phil Tippett. In post-production, chimp eyes were added to the darkened eye sockets, creating the distinctive appearance of Emperor Palpatine we’ve grown accustomed to.
The voice was provided by Clive Revill, who later recalled:
Working with director Irvin Kershner required a delicate balance – he preferred subtlety over excess. This was a prime demonstration of the saying ‘less is more’. The Emperor rarely spoke much, but when he did, it was at a crucial moment in the story, heightening anticipation. Being the timeless arch-villain, his brief lines carried immense impact, especially when he mentioned a disturbance in the Force – truly electrifying!
– Titan Magazines
It’s clear that the process leading up to it was extensive. While Ian McDiarmid eventually brought the character to life in a captivating way, it’s essential to understand and appreciate the background of the character – a fascinating part of its history!
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2024-10-27 17:44