Ian McDarmid is a Scottish actor and theater director, well known to a multimillion-dollar army of fans of the fantastic epic Star Wars as the vile Emperor Palpatine. He is also one of the most famous and influential figures in the London theatre world. In particular, one of the critics he was called “the prime minister-impresario of the capital”. McDarmid was born on August 11, 1944 in Carnoustie, Angus, and grew up in Dundee, the administrative center of the Taisad district. Despite the increased
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Ian McDarmid is a Scottish actor and theater director, well known to a multimillion-dollar army of fans of the fantastic epic Star Wars as the vile Emperor Palpatine. He is also one of the most famous and influential figures in the London theatre world. In particular, one of the critics he was called “the prime minister-impresario of the capital”.
McDarmid was born on August 11, 1944 in Carnoustie, Angus, and grew up in Dundee, the administrative center of the Taisad district. Despite the increased interest in theater, manifested from an early age, the future actor graduated from the University of St. Andrews, receiving a master's degree in clinical psychology. However, finally convinced that such a career did not attract him, McDarmid was trained at the Royal Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, while performing in various troupes throughout Scotland and England, eventually joining the illustrious Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his film debut in 1980, but the real popularity of the actor came after the release of the film on the big screens.
Star Wars: Episode 6 - Return of the Jedi Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) In parallel, McDarmid starred in a detective film
Gorky Park Gorky Park and the 1964 film remake
"Burnt fraudsters" (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) In addition, McDarmid has repeatedly appeared in other episodes of Star Wars and played in a number of famous films, including the mystical thriller of the famous director.
"Sleepy Hollow" (Sleepy Hollow) and historical tape
"Royal Grace" (Restoration)
Nevertheless, the first and true love of Ian McDarmid was and remains the theater, and it is here that his abilities as an actor and director were fully revealed. In particular, for his achievements in 1998, McDarmid received the Evening Standard Theatre Award as one of the artistic directors of the Almeida Theatre in Islington, London (1990-2001), which he and co-director Jonathan Kent truly revived.