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Michael Pennington, an actor renowned for his role in “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” has passed away.
According to reports by the Telegraph, Pennington died on Sunday at the age of 82.
In the 1983 blockbuster “Return of the Jedi,” he portrayed the character of Death Star Commander Moff Jerjerrod, a memorable role in the beloved franchise.
Throughout his distinguished career, the British actor also gained recognition for his portrayal of Laertes in the 1969 adaptation of “Hamlet,” as well as his depiction of Michael Foot in the 2011 film “The Iron Lady.”
Other notable roles the British actor played were Laertes in 1969’s “Hamlet” and Michael Foot in 2011’s “The Iron Lady.”
Pennington also founded the English Shakespeare Company in 1986 with theater director Michael Bogdanov, which promotes the work of William Shakespeare.
Pennington judged himself harshly for his “Star Wars” character, though it was well received by fans.
“I look at it now and I think I overact horribly and I can’t even remember the storyline,” he said in a September 2012 interview. “We all did it for a song, but I suppose that it has given me some kind of calling card for movies.”
“Whenever I come out of the Stage Door after a performance, all people would ask about was ‘Star Wars,’” he continued. “Nowadays, there’s less of that and more about ‘The Iron Lady.’”
He got married to actress Katharine Barker in 1964, and they shared a son, Mark, before they divorced in 1967. According to the Telegraph, his partner, arts administrator Prue Skene, died last year.
“A warm and pleasant man, Michael Pennington enjoyed the company of fellow actors and took his turn in cooking a meal for everyone, proving himself an accomplished chef,” the outlet also wrote.
“At one time he liked to hand out jars of his homemade quince butter,” they added.