At the risk of stating the obvious, theStar Warsgalaxy is full of people. Not only does it have a myriad of strange aliens, but it also sports several human factions. Among these are some faces that audiences might not remember.
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That’s natural given how many denizens populate each planet, but viewers may be shocked to discover some of the big names slipping into theStar Warssaga. One would think actors like these would stick out like a sore thumb. However, these famous faces got lost in the crowd.
8Richard Armitage
Tall, dark, and handsome, Armitage has made a name for himself on both the big and small screen. His brooding exterior obviously aids in him with villains like Guy of Gisborne in 2006’sRobin Hoodshow and the Great Red Dragon inHannibal. However, it creates gravitas in more heroic roles like John Thornton inNorth & South, John Porter inStrike Back,Thorin OakenshieldinThe Hobbit, and evenWolverinein the Canucklehead’s audio drama. Many of Armitage’s characters benefit from his distinctive pathos.
None of that comes into play during his brief time inStar Wars. DuringThe Phantom Menace, he serves as a Naboo guard. He doesn’t even get a close-up; he’s just one of the guys in the background. Granted, this is still early in his career, but it nevertheless feels like a waste of talent.
7Ray Stevenson
This imposing Englishman has played no shortage of character roles, many of them using his physical presence. Historical viewers likely know him as Titus Pullo inRome, Blackbeard inBlack Sails, and Othere inVikings. Marvel fans may likewise recognize Stevenson asone of the Warriors Threein theThormovies. Then again, maybe not. After all, these guys amounted to little more than throwaway sidekicks.
Thankfully, he gets a bit more depth inStar Wars, popping up inRebelsandThe Clone Warsas Gar Saxon. This Mandalorian seeks to subjugate his people by aligning with Darth Maul and, later, the Empire. The creators must have hadRomeon the mind during casting, as Kevin McKidd and Tobias Menzies voice similarly armored antagonists. Stevenson, though, is set to return inthe Ahsoka Tano spin-off series. He’ll probably play a different character since Saxon is long dead by this point.
6Keira Knightley
Action fans probably know Knightley as the hot-tempered Elizabeth Swann inPirates of the Caribbeanor Guinevere in 2004’sKing Arthur, but she soon carved out a niche elsewhere. Since winning acclaim forPride & Prejudice, the actresshas starred in a plethora of period costume dramas. How fitting (sorry) that her part inStar Warsalso calls for a complex wardrobe.
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Knightley dresses as Queen Amidala throughoutThe Phantom Menace. She’s not the queen herself, but rather a decoy. Her resemblance to Natalie Portman fueled her casting. Sadly, this means they use the same monotone voice while maintaining the regal persona. That’s a shame considering how expressive Knightley usually is within her period pieces.
5Rose Byrne
Byrne is currently a leading actress in several genres. Films likeNeighborsandSpygave her a foothold in the comedy world, and she’s also entered the horror house with theInsidiousflicks. Even a couple ofX-Menentries are on her resume. What might not be on there is her small role inAttack of the Clones.
As Padme’s handmaiden, Byrne only occasionally comes out of the background to say a line or two. This probably comes down to her mainly appearing in low-budget Australian films at the time. The same goes for Joel Edgerton, who himself has a tiny part as a young Uncle Owen. At least he’s coming back for the Obi-Wan Kenobi show. Byrne only hit it big a couple of years later withTroy, a much more impressive war epic.
4Julian Glover
Many know Glover for his recent role as the slimy Pycell inGame of Thrones, but he was a character actor for decades prior. The sneering Aristotle Kristatos inFor Your Eyes OnlyandAragog the spiderin the secondHarry Pottermovie are two prominent examples. Perhaps his best-known part is main villain Donovan inIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Ironically, that opportunity came about due to his minor role inStar Wars. He has a bit part inThe Empire Strikes Backas an Imperial officer, seen in the Battle of Hoth and periodically reporting to Darth Vader throughout the story. The original trilogy has numerous such officers, and many of them are variations on the same stuck-up Brit archetype. Viewers would be forgiven for not remembering Glover.
3Keisha Castle-Hughes
Talk about being overqualified. Fantasy aficionados might recognize this Kiwi actress asone of the Sand SnakesfromGame of Thrones. She’s kicked around TV in recent years, heading shows likeThe Almighty Johnsons,On The Ropes, andFBI: Most Wanted. Back in the mid-2000s, however, she was earning all sorts of accolades for the filmWhale Rider, even becoming the second-youngest Oscar nominee for Best Leading Actress.
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Soon after this, Castle-Hughes showed up inRevenge of the Sith, albeit silently. She has a non-speaking cameo as the current Queen of Naboo. All she has to do is look sullen during Padme Amidala’s funeral. The previous film already had a new queen. Why bring in someone else–let alone a rising star–for such an inconsequential part?
2Malcolm McDowell
An icon of the British stage and screen, McDowell has occupied a myriad of colorful characters in genre films.A Clockwork Orange,Caligula, andTime After Timeimmediately come to mind. On top of this, the actor is also prominent in the voiceover realm. Metallo inSuperman: The Animated Series, Mad Mod inTeen Titans, and Death inCastlevaniaare just a few of his entertaining entities. This was ultimately his path toStar Wars.
McDowell guest-starred inRebelsas an Imperial archivist. He’s studying remnants ofthe Force deities from Mortis. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get a chance to shine, as the episode also sees the return of Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor.
1John Wayne
One of the biggest movie stars of all time (figuratively and literally), Wayne is practically synonymous with westerns. He tackledcountless cowboy flicks of all different tones, dominating the screen in classics likeStagecoach,The Searchers,True Grit,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, andMcClintock. The Duke’s legacy doesn’t stop there, though, as he also earned acclaim outside the western wheelhouse with works likeThe Quiet Man,The Longest Day, andThe Sands of Iwo Jima. Even with this varied filmography, few would associate this star with a galaxy far, far away.
This makes it all the more surprising that John Wayne was in the very first film of the franchise, at least indirectly. What’s more, it’s a pivotal part. The heroes must flee the desert spaceport thanks to some sneaky snitching by a Garindan, a hooded anteater alien spying for the Empire. Its language consists of a series of squeaks. Sound designer Ben Burtt said thatthese squeaks are actually unused lines from Wayne’s films. They’re just distorted beyond recognition. The Duke probably never knew, but it’s technically his last big-screen appearance before his death in 1979. Make of that what you will.
