Star Wars Actor Kenneth Colley Dies at 87

Kenneth Colley, the actor best known for portraying Admiral Piett in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, has passed away at the age of 87. His death followed a battle with Covid-19 and subsequent pneumonia.

Admiral Piett, played by Colley, commanded Darth Vader's flagship as a key Imperial officer. He later voiced the character in the 2012 animated special Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out. Beyond Star Wars, Colley famously took on the role of Jesus in Monty Python's Life of Brian.

As reported by the BBC, he died peacefully at his home in Kent, UK, on Monday after contracting Covid-19, which led to pneumonia.

His agent, Julian Owen, released a statement: "Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors, with a career that spanned six decades. He worked consistently across stage, film, and television, portraying a wide range of roles—from Jesus in Monty Python's Life of Brian to sinister and eccentric figures in Ken Russell's films, and the Duke of Vienna in the BBC's production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure."

Owen added that Colley had been hospitalized following a fall that injured his arm, but he then quickly contracted Covid-19, which developed into pneumonia.

According to the Daily Mail, Colley's character, Piett, was not originally scheduled to appear in Return of the Jedi. However, Star Wars creator George Lucas decided to include him after Lucasfilm received significant fan mail requesting the character's return.

Colley also recounted that he landed the role in The Empire Strikes Back because director Irvin Kershner was seeking "someone who would frighten Hitler," a description he perfectly matched.