All 14 Actors Who’ve Played Darth Vader In Star Wars

The Star Wars franchise has many incredible characters, but few can boast the level of widespread cultural relevance enjoyed by Darth Vader. First introduced to audiences in 1977 with the release of the first movie, Darth Vader has since become one of the most iconic villains in movies. Often named the best sci-fi movie villain of all time, Darth Vader’s importance both within the Star Wars franchise and in the wider world of pop culture is massive. He’s recognizable even to those who haven’t ever seen a Star Wars movie or show, and his popularity has managed to transcend generations and crossover into several different media.

Considering the character’s longevity, it’s perhaps unsurprising that many actors have been beneath the incredibly cool Star Wars helmet. Several different performers have lent their bodies, voices, and faces to the character, bringing him to life through an impressive collective effort. Some might be better known for the role than others, but all of them have played a part in delivering one of the best sci-fi characters of all time.

14) Gene Bryant

Gene Bryant isn’t a name that most fans know in conjunction with Darth Vader. An uncredited body double for Star Wars: Episode III – The Revenge of the Sith, Bryant’s time bringing the character to life was incredibly short. However, as some of Bryant’s scenes reportedly made it into the finished movie, he can claim membership in the exclusive club of Darth Vader actors.

13) C. Andrew Nelson

Former visual effects artist at Lucasfilm C. Andrew Nelson is another whose time as Darth Vader isn’t often talked about. As well as providing the body model for Vader for two video games in 1995, Nelson played the character in multiple TV commercials and print advertisements. He also played Darth Vader in the special editions of the original trilogy, making an uncredited appearance as the villain.

12) Scott Lawrence

Scott Lawrence is the go-to actor for voicing Darth Vader in Star Wars video games. Since the mid-1990s, Lawrence has been lending his voice to the character and was once considered the voice double for James Earl Jones. Most recently, he provided Vader’s voice for the Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor Star Wars games.

11) Matt Sloan

Matt Sloan is another actor to lend his voice to Darth Vader for video games. As well as voicing the character in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and its sequel, Sloan has played the role in various other capacities. He also voiced Vader in several LEGO Star Wars specials.

10) Bob Anderson

Bob Anderson is one of the actors who helped bring Darth Vader to life in the original Star Wars trilogy. He served as a stunt double for the character, leading him to appear on-screen several times behind the mask. One of Hollywood’s best swordsmen, Anderson lent his expertise to Vader during the iconic lightsaber duels in the original trilogy.

9) Daniel Naprous

Daniel Naprous is a Hollywood stuntman who featured as part of the cast of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. As well as racking up several other impressive credits in popular franchises, Naprous can claim to have played Darth Vader. He lent his physicality to the role for Rogue One, donning the iconic mask in the prequel movie.

8) Spencer Wilding

Spencer Wilding is another actor who lent his body to the character of Darth Vader. Also appearing in Rogue One, Wilding’s imposing stature made him a great body actor for Vader. Outside of Star Wars, Wilding has appeared in Doctor Who and the Harry Potter franchise.

7) Dmitrious Bistrevsky

Obi-Wan Kenobi saw Hayden Christensen return to the role of Darth Vader, but it also brought in other actors to play the character. Dmitrious Bistrevsky, a Ukrainian-American actor, played Vader in many full-body shots. While he might not have been directly recognizable, his physicality helped bring the character to life in the Star Wars show.

6) Tom O’Connell

As well as Hayden Christensen and Dmitrious Bistrevsky, Tom O’Connell also played Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi. A Hollywood stuntman, O’Connell largely acted in a purely physical capacity in the show behind the iconic mask. In addition, he appeared in the show as a spice guard and also served as a stunt double on The Mandalorian.

5) Sebastian Shaw

Sebastian Shaw’s role as Darth Vader might have been incredibly brief, but it is iconic. Shaw served as the face of the character at the end of Return of the Jedi, also appearing as a Force ghost. His face was later digitally altered to better resemble Hayden Christensen, but he’s still remembered as the original face of the character.

4) Matt Lanter

Matt Lanter is remembered by franchise fans as the voice of Star Wars: The Clone Wars‘ main character. Having lent his voice to Anakin Skywalker for years, his time voicing Darth Vader was much shorter. For his appearance in Star Wars Rebels, Lanter’s voice was digitally mixed with James Earl Jones’, but the actor did finally get a chance to voice Anakin’s villainous alter-ego.

3) Hayden Christensen

While everyone knows that Anakin Skywalker is Darth Vader, the two roles are often considered very different. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith saw Anakin transition into the Sith villain, with Hayden Christensen briefly bridging the gap between the two. He went on to reprise the role for the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.

2) David Prowse

David Prowse is fondly remembered as the original body of Darth Vader. The imposing actor cut an intimidating figure in the role throughout the original Star Wars trilogy, helping to establish him as a deeply unsettling sci-fi villain. The former weightlifter is a key part of Darth Vader’s history, and his time in the role helped define the character for an entire generation.

1) James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones’ distinctive voice featured in many movies, but perhaps his most iconic voice role was that of Darth Vader. His deep, booming tones lent the character an added air of gravitas and brought the commanding figure cut by David Prowse to life in unforgettable fashion. His vocal efforts made Darth Vader one of the best characters played by two actors, and it has gone down in history as one of the most iconic voice acting performances of all time.

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