A galaxy far, distant has been round for an extended, very long time. In just some years, Star Wars might be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, at present encompassing 12 motion pictures and plenty of live-action and animated tv reveals.
Over that point the franchise has amassed a glittering array of stars who’ve walked the Tatooine sands, swung a lightsaber, or piloted an X-Wing. Sadly, the regular passage of time means lots of them are now not with us. So, listed below are the outstanding Star Wars actors who’ve died.
James Earl Jones (Darth Vader)
Darth Vader is probably the most iconic character in Star Wars, and James Earl Jones’ vocal efficiency is answerable for most of that fame. From the second Vader strides onto the display screen in A New Hope his deep bass voice defines him as a terrifying and intimidating determine.
Jones periodically returned to the franchise to voice Vader throughout motion pictures, TV reveals, and video video games. He gave his remaining efficiency as Vader within the 2022 Disney Plus present Obi-Wan Kenobi, albeit with a lift from AI.
However, in fact, Jones wasn’t simply Darth Vader. His credit embrace Mufasa in The Lion King (each the animated and reside motion variations), Discipline of Desires, The Hunt for Purple October, Coming to America, and Physician Strangelove. He additionally had a glittering profession on stage, was a Korean Battle veteran, and used his fame to combat for social justice.
Jones died at age 93 on Sept. 9 2024 of undisclosed causes, however his voice will reside on ceaselessly.
Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa)
Carrie Fisher absolutely wants no introduction to Star Wars followers. Princess Leia grew to become an on the spot cultural icon when A New Hope hit screens in 1977 and went on to change into a pivotal character within the Authentic Trilogy. Fisher reprised the position three many years later for The Pressure Awakens and The Final Jedi, with Lucasfilm assembling a posthumous efficiency in The Rise of Skywalker from unused footage.
Exterior of Star Wars, Fisher was a critically acclaimed writer and script physician. Her books Postcards from the Edge, Wishful Ingesting, and The Princess Diarist are wonderful reads and he or she was an uncredited script physician on many main Hollywood motion pictures, together with Sister Act, The Marriage ceremony Singer, and Hook. She even labored on The Phantom Menace and Assault of the Clones screenplays to punch up the dialogue.
Past Star Wars, Fisher gave memorable performances in The Blues Brothers, When Harry Met Sally, Hannah and her Sisters and picked up two Emmy nominations for her visitor roles on 30 Rock and Disaster.
On Dec. 23, 2016, Fisher suffered a medical emergency whereas on board a flight from London to Los Angeles. On touchdown, she was rushed to intensive care, although by no means regained consciousness and died on Dec. 27, 2016.
Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Alec Guinness was famously dismissive of Star Wars and was sad in his later years that, after an extended profession, all individuals wished to speak about was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He mentioned, “Aside from the cash, I remorse having launched into the movie,” dismissed George Lucas’ dialogue as “lamentable,” and even claimed, “It’s not an performing job.”
Guinness had a degree. Lengthy earlier than he ever ignited a lightsaber he was famend for his performances in Ealing comedies Sort Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, and The Ladykillers. In 1957 he gained the Academy Award for Finest Actor for The Bridge on the River Kwai and picked up a writing nomination in 1958 for adapting the novel The Horse’s Mouth.
Presumably to his shock, he additionally acquired an Oscar nomination as Finest Supporting Actor for A New Hope, No matter whether or not he preferred it or not, Obi-Wan stays the position he’s most strongly recognized with (that whirring sound you hear is him spinning furiously in his grave). Guinness died at age 86 in August 2000 after being recognized with prostate and liver most cancers.
Christopher Lee (Rely Dooku)
Christopher Lee was a display screen icon lengthy earlier than Star Wars debuted, making a reputation for himself as Rely Dracula in quite a few Hammer Horror motion pictures. It was probably with these in thoughts that Lucas selected Lee as Assault of the Clones‘ villain Rely Dooku. Predictably, Lee delivered the products, going as far as to carry out the lightsaber battles himself (although a stunt double was used for some longer photographs.)
Dooku was a giant a part of Lee’s late-career renaissance, as the films launched concurrently along with his efficiency as Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Lee would reprise the position of Dooku in Revenge of the Sith and supply his voice for the 2008 The Clone Wars film.
Lee died at age 93 in June 2015 after being admitted to hospital for respiratory issues and coronary heart failure.
Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin)
Like Christopher Lee (whom he was shut pals with) Peter Cushing had a memorable profession in Hammer Horror lengthy earlier than Star Wars, notably enjoying Baron Frankenstein and Van Helsing in a number of motion pictures. Cushing was George Lucas’ first alternative for Grand Moff Tarkin, believing that A New Hope wanted a lead villain whose face was seen (versus the masked Darth Vader).
Cushing adored A New Hope, along with his solely remorse that Tarkin being killed within the Dying Star explosion meant he couldn’t return for the sequels. Cushing died in August 1994 on the age of 81, although Tarkin was (controversially) digitally resurrected for 2016’s Rogue One.
Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
We might have by no means seen Peter Mayhew’s face in any Star Wars film, however we actually felt his presence. Mayhew was 7’3 tall, making him the best actor to play Chewbacca, one thing George Lucas immediately acknowledged when he met him. Apart from enjoying Chewie on movie, Mayhew frequently appeared because the character in hospital appearances for sick kids and was a continuing presence at fan occasions.
Mayhew reprised the position for The Pressure Awakens, although retired from the position for well being causes and was changed by Joonas Suotama (Mayhew was the “Chewbacca advisor” for The Final Jedi). Mayhew died of a coronary heart assault in April 2019 at age 74.
David Prowse (Darth Vader)
David Prowse was the person beneath Darth Vader’s armor all through the unique trilogy, along with his imposing stature and motion key to bringing the villain to life. Prowse was famously beneath the impression that he’d even be voicing Vader throughout A New Hope, although his sturdy West Nation accent led him to be dubbed “Darth Farmer” by the forged.
Prowse was key to bringing Vader to life within the unique trilogy, although in later years had a long-running feud with Lucasfilm over residual funds. He died in November 2020 aged 85 of an unspecified sickness, with George Lucas releasing a press release that he was “important for the character.”
Kenny Baker (R2-D2)
Kenny Baker started his showbiz profession in 1951 when he was approached on the road by a lady inviting him to hitch a “theatrical troupe of dwarfs and midgets.” He went on to concentrate on ice skating and ice reveals, in addition to main the profitable comedy act the Mini-Tones.
Nevertheless it was with Star Wars that he made his title as everybody’s favourite beeping garbage can R2-D2. Baker performed the position in each the unique and prequel trilogies, in addition to enjoying the Ewok that steals the speeder biker in Return of the Jedi. Baker was set to reprise the position as soon as extra for The Pressure Awakens, however his bodily well being meant he ended up as a advisor.
Baker died in August 2016 after struggling an extended lung sickness.
Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)
Boba Fett might have minimal display screen time within the unique trilogy, however it’s simple to see why Star Wars followers latched onto this competent and ruthless masked bounty hunter. Jeremy Bulloch was the person contained in the Boba Fett costume throughout the unique trilogy, although the voice was supplied by Jason Wingreen (who was himself overdubbed with Temuera Morrison in later releases).
Bulloch additionally appeared in two different minor roles: because the Imperial officer who grabs Leia when she tells Luke that Vader is setting a entice in The Empire Strikes Again and in Revenge of the Sith as Captain Colton, the Alderaanian pilot who flies Obi-Wan, Bail Organa, and Yoda to Coruscant.
Bulloch battled Parkinson’s illness for a number of years and died in hospital in December 2020, aged 75.
Sebastian Shaw (Anakin Skywalker)
Sebastian Shaw’s time in Star Wars could be measured in seconds, although each one among them counts. Shaw performs the dying Anakin Skywalker within the closing scenes of Return of the Jedi, lastly revealing the unhappy and injured outdated man beneath the imposing armor. Previous to this, Shaw had an extended profession on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Firm and Lucas forged him on the idea of that have.
Shaw additionally appeared as a Pressure Ghost within the remaining scene of the film, although his efficiency was controversially erased within the 2004 launch and changed with Hayden Christensen.
Submit-release, Shaw was shocked and delighted by the eye his temporary efficiency acquired and was inundated with fan mail and autograph requests. Shaw died of pure causes in Dec. 1994 on the age of 89.
Ray Stevenson (Gar Saxon / Baylan Skoll)
Ray Stevenson’s Baylan Skoll was arguably the only smartest thing about Disney Plus’ Ahsoka. Baylan is a mysterious fallen Jedi turned mercenary, although, over the primary season, we steadily realized he had higher aspirations to finish the cycle of struggle and peace on the coronary heart of Star Wars. Sadly we’ll by no means get to see Stevenson full Baylan’s story, as he died of a coronary heart situation on Could 21, 2023.
However Ahsoka wasn’t Stevenson’s first Star Wars position. In Rebels and The Clone Wars, he voiced Gar Saxon, a Mandalorian tremendous commando who grew to become the Imperial Viceroy of Mandalore throughout the reign of the Galactic Empire.
Apart from Star Wars, Stevenson was recognized for taking part in Frank Fort in The Punisher: Battle Zone, because the Asgardian Volstagg within the MCU’s Thor motion pictures, and as Titus Pullo in Rome.
Carl Weathers (Greef Karga)
“MANDO!” Carl Weathers’ The Mandalorian hero Greef Karga was some of the charismatic and energetic characters within the present, with an arc taking him from the chief of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild to the Excessive Justice of the Peace of Nevarro. All through he was a staunch ally to Din Djarin and Grogu, taking part in most of their main battles.
Weathers adored the position, describing it as “one of many best issues that’s occurred in all the years that I’ve been in leisure”, and was rightly nominated for an Emmy. He went on to direct two episodes of the present, each of which could be ranked amongst its finest.
And, in fact, Weathers was already a full-on icon for his roles within the Rocky franchise, Predator, Toy Story and Arrested Improvement (amongst many extra). Past all that, he was additionally an NFL linebacker, enjoying for the Oakland Raiders within the early Seventies. What a life.
Weathers died on Feb. 1, 2024 on the age of 76 from atherosclerotic heart problems.
Different notable deaths
We should additionally tip our hat to another Star Wars luminaries. A number of Ewok actors in Return of the Jedi have died: Paul Grant at age 56 in March 2023, Gary Friedkin at age 70 in Dec. 2022, Jack Purvis at age 60 in Nov. 1997, and Felix Silla at age 84 in April 2021.
Two X-Wing pilots have additionally left us: Purple Chief actor Drewe Henley died at age 75 in Feb. 2016 and Porkins’ actor William Hootkins died at age 57 in 2005. Phil Brown performed Owen Lars in A New Hope and died aged 89 in Feb. 2006, with Beru Lars actor Shelagh Fraser dying aged 79 in Aug. 2000.
The unique voice of Boba Fett, Jason Wingreen, died at age 95 on Dec. 25 2015. Alex McCrindle, who performed Common Dodonna in A New Hope died at age 78 in April 1990. John Hollis performed Lobot in The Empire Strikes Again and died aged 77 in 2005. Kenneth Colley, who performed Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Again and Return of the Jedi, died aged 87 on Jun. 30 2025. Clive Revill voiced Emperor Palpatine within the theatrical launch of The Empire Strikes Again, and died at age 94 on Mar. 11, 2025.
Eddie Byrne made his remaining movie look earlier than his demise as Common Willard in A New Hope and died aged 70 in Aug. 1981. Larry Ward voiced Greedo in A New Hope and Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi and died at age 63 in 2007. Lastly, Declan Mulholland, whose efficiency as a human model of Jabba the Hutt was reduce from A New Hope totally, died in June 1999 on the age of 66.