Michael Pennington, ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’ Actor, Dies at 82

May 10, 2026 3:25pm PT Michael Pennington, ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’ Actor, Dies at 82

By Jack Dunn

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Michael Pennington, a celebrated Shakespearean actor who also appeared in “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” has died, according to The Telegraph. He was 82.

In “Return of the Jedi,” Pennington appeared as Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, an Empire admiral responsible for overseeing the construction of the second Death Star. Pennington also appeared in Tony Richardson’s 1969 “Hamlet” and 2011’s “The Iron Lady.”

Outside of those major works, most of his on-screen acting happened on television. His most recent TV credits include “Raised By Wolves,” “Footprints,” “Endeavour,” “Father Brown,” “The Escape Artist,” “Silent Witness” and “Into the Storm.” He also starred in the 1987 TV movie “The Return of Sherlock Holmes” as the titular detective, as well as 1989’s “The Wars of the Roses,” which was a televised series of Shakespeare’s history plays performed by the English Shakespeare Company.

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Pennington was best known for his work on the stage as an accomplished Shakespearean actor. According to The Telegraph, in 1980, he turned down the starring role opposite Meryl Streep in Karel Reisz’s 1981 drama “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” so he could star as Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Pennington reportedly said at the time, “I realised I couldn’t let Hamlet go. It is one of the prizes.” Jeremy Irons stepped into his part, and the film went on to be nominated for five Academy Awards.

Born in 1943 in Cambridge, Pennington attended Trinity College, but it was as a child studying at Marlborough that he decided he wanted to be an actor after seeing TV and stage actor Paul Rogers play Hamlet.

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