Iconic Star Wars actor Ian McDiarmid has just confirmed some exciting secrets about playing Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Having played the Emperor for just over 40 years, Ian McDiarmid has one of the longest acting tenures in the galaxy far, far away. However, the actor has recently revealed that he most enjoyed playing Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith for several reasons.