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

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Michael Pennington, known for playing Moff Jerjerrod in the 1983 film Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, has passed away at the age of 82. He appeared as the Death Star Commander in the third Star Wars movie. News of his death was first reported by The Telegraph and shared by Star Wars News Net’s Soeren Kamper. The cause of death hasn’t been released, and his family hasn’t issued a statement.

While well-known in England, Michael Pennington wasn’t as famous in the United States. He was a highly regarded actor who established the English Shakespeare Company (ESC) in 1986 and led it as Joint Artistic Director for six years. Beyond acting, he was a prolific author, publishing ten books, and directed theater productions in the UK, the US, Romania, and Japan. He gained recognition for his stage performances, including roles in plays like Hamlet, The Judge, and The Henrys, and notably played Antony in a 2012 production of Antony and Cleopatra.

Michael Pennington Was Best Known in the U.S. for Return of the Jedi

Michael Pennington is remembered by many as Moff Jerjerrod in Return of the Jedi. His character was a high-ranking official in the Empire, starting his career as an architect and ship designer. He eventually commanded the second Death Star due to his contributions to the first. Despite his position, Jerjerrod faced intense pressure from Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, and ultimately perished when the battle station was destroyed.

Many Star Wars fans might be surprised to learn that actor Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2, later regretted being in Return of the Jedi. He felt his performance was overdone and admitted he’d forgotten the plot. While the film didn’t pay much at the time, it did give him some recognition in the movie industry. He also mentioned that after stage performances, people would always ask him about Star Wars instead of his current work, according to an interview with TheWrap.

Besides appearing in Return of the Jedi, Michael Pennington played Michael Foot in the 2011 film The Iron Lady, alongside Meryl Streep. He also starred in productions of Oedipus Rex (1986) and the television film The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1987). In 2004, Pennington became only the second person to give the British Academy’s annual Shakespeare lecture, a distinction not held since 1925 when Harley Granville-Barker delivered it. Pennington had one son, named Mark.

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2026-05-11 00:16