<P> One theatrical performance of note is his portrayal of Harry Hackamore in Sam Shepard's play Seduced . By McDiarmid's own description, Hackamore was a Howard Hughes - type character . To play the part, he was made - up in prosthetics, including a false beard and long fingernails . McDiarmid was only 37 at the time, and this convinced George Lucas and Richard Marquand that he could convincingly play a much older character in extreme cinematic close - up, which helped him land the role of Palpatine . </P> <P> After a minor part in the film Dragonslayer, McDiarmid was cast by George Lucas in Return of the Jedi as Emperor Palpatine, the main villain . Sixteen years after appearing in Return of the Jedi, he reprised the role as the character's younger incarnation of Senator Palpatine and Sith Lord Darth Sidious in the prequel films: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith . The prequels had him play two faces to his character; he re-created his diabolical interpretation of Palpatine from Return of the Jedi when playing Darth Sidious, the Chancellor's Sith alter ego, but created a pleasant, charming character in Palpatine's public persona . </P> <P> In the 2004 re-release of The Empire Strikes Back, a brief scene between Darth Vader and a hologram of Emperor Palpatine was updated to include McDiarmid . The Emperor was originally voiced by Clive Revill for that scene, and visually portrayed by Marjorie Eaton . With this addition to The Empire Strikes Back, McDiarmid has now appeared in every live - action film version in which Palpatine appears . </P> <P> He has also worked with the Star Wars expanded universe as the voice of Palpatine in the video game adaptations of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi . McDiarmid made a small appearance during Celebration Europe . On 23--26 August 2012, he attended Celebration VI in Orlando, Florida and had his own show titled The Phantom Menace: Ian McDiarmid, hosted by James Arnold Taylor, in which he talked about his experience working on Star Wars and how he landed the role of Palpatine . Ian McDiarmid also voiced a pig version of Palpatine for a promo video on Angry Birds Star Wars II, entitled "Join the Pork Side". </P>

Who played the emperor in star wars episode 6
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