![]() According to Wookieepedia, the confusion arose when Baker, and not Eaton, was credited as the actress behind the Emperor in the book “The Making of the Empire Strikes Back”. While Baker did not appear on screen in the final film, she was used for test shoots for the Emperor makeup. S18HJMISZ5Ĭomplicating matters is the fact that another woman, Elaine Baker, was involved in the prep for the original Emperor, and over the years, it seems like Baker and Eaton got confused in people’s minds. Marjorie Eaton & Elaine Baker Have Both Been Credited as the Emperor Over the Yearsĭo you know who Marjorie Eaton is? She was the human base in the quintet of efforts to make the original (& best) Emperor in #StarWars She wore a mask sculpted by Phil Tippet, applied by Rick Baker, w/ superimposed chimpanzee eyes, & voiced by Clive Revil for a chilling effect. For the record, it is McDiarmid’s face, and not Eaton’s, which appears as the Emperor on the cut of “Empire Strikes Back” currently streaming on Disney+. ![]() In fact, one writer for ScreenCrush went so far as to call the swap of Eaton for McDiarmid in 2004 as “the worst post-release change in all of ‘Star Wars'”. However, this change was not universally loved by “Star Wars” fans. Lucas opted to digitally replace a key performance from the original theatrical cut of “Empire Strikes Back” for the DVD release, which incorporated many “Special Edition” additions to the film’s original cuts, including the edit to use McDiarmid’s likeness in “Empire Strikes Back”.Īccording to Empire Magazine, the 2004 DVD release marked the first time Ian McDiarmid was edited into “The Empire Strikes Back”. ![]() However, when the original “Star Wars” trilogy was updated for its 2004 DVD release, the legacy of the original Palpatine actor was obscured. It wasn’t until “Return of the Jedi” that the character was seen in the flesh. In his initial appearance, the Emperor is seen as a hologram projection only, in a brief scene with Vader. The character of the Emperor is discussed by Grand Moff Tarkin and Commander Tagge in “A New Hope”, but the character did not appear on-screen until “The Empire Strikes Back”. The choice to have Revill overdub Eeaton was not unlike the choice George Lucas made to cast actor David Prowse as the on-screen Darth Vader in the original trilogy, but have his lines overdubbed by James Earl Jones.ĭespite never appearing in the first “Star Wars” film, the presence of the evil Emperor was still felt on screen from the very beginning of the trilogy. IMDB notes Revill is also known for roles across a large number of video game titles. The voice of the Emperor in the original 1980 cut of “Empire Strikes Back” was actor Clive Revill, who went on to voice Alfred Pennyworth on “Batman: The Animated Series”. However, that is not her voice heard in the clip above. The original 1980 cut features actress Marjorie Eaton under heavy makeup as the evil Emperor. This Emperor has a face that’s longer and more angular than Ian McDiarmid’s version of the character. In the clip above, you can see the original version of the “Empire Strikes Back” scene that features the Emperor. Here’s what you need to know about Marjorie Eaton’s contribution to the “Star Wars” universe.Īctress Marjorie Eaton Played the Emperor in ‘Empire Strikes Back’ (But Another Actor Provided the Voice) And secondly, she was eventually replaced in the film’s later releases, having been swapped out for Ian McDiarmid after Lucas updated his films for DVD release in 2004. Firstly, her name wasn’t listed in the film’s credits (although Eaton’s IMDB page does acknowledge her uncredited performance in the film). That actress was Marjorie Eaton, and her iconic role in the “Star Wars” universe went unrecognized by many “Star Wars” fans for two reasons. Admittedly, the actress was seen under heavy makeup and special effects, and the final film had a male voice dubbing over the performance of the actress. It was a female actress who was seen on screen. In the original theatrical cut of “The Empire Strikes Back”, the part of Emperor Palpatine was played by a woman. In fact, it wasn’t an “actor” at all…it was an actress. While it’s true that he was brought in to play the role in the trilogy’s final installment, “The Return of the Jedi”, it was a different performer entirely who was asked to play the Emperor in “Empire Strikes Back”. ![]() Bust of Emperor Palpatine, seen on display inside Rancho Obi-Wan, the world's largest private collection of Star Wars memorabilia, in Petaluma, California on November 24, 2015.įans who have only ever watched the original “ Star Wars” trilogy on DVD or streaming platforms may not be aware that actor Ian McDiarmid was not the original performer to play the Emperor in “The Empire Strikes Back”. ![]()
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