Yesterday, we wrote about the Shakespeare roles that the cast of the original Star Wars trilogy have appeared in on and off stage. Today, we will focus on the prequels!
Liam Neeson (Qui- Gon Jinn)
Appeared in:
- Henry IV Part 1 (Lyric Players Theatre, 1976) as Percy
- The Winter’s Tale (Dublin’s Abbery Theatre, 1979)
Ewan McGregor (Obi Wan Kenobi)
Appeared in:
- Othello (Donmar Warehouse, 2007) as Iago
Pernilla August (Shmi Skywalker)
Appeared in:
- Hamlet (Royal Dramatic Theatre Company, 1987) as Ophelia
Oliver Ford Davies (Sio Bibble)
Appeared in:
- Henry IV Part 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1975) as Sheriff/ Sir Michael
- Henry IV Part 2 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1975) as Morton/ Wart
- Henry V (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1976) as French Bishop/ Montjoy
- Henry VI Part 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1977) as Duke of Somerset
- Henry VI Part 2 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1977) as Duke of Somerset
- As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1977) as Duke Senior
- Coriolanus (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1977) as Junius Brutus
- Love’s Labour’s Lost (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1978) as Boyet
- Troilus and Cressida (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Nestor
- Timon of Athens (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Senator
- Henry VIII (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1983) as Bishop Gardiner
- Julius Caesar (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1983) as Marullus/ Titinus
- Measure for Measure (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1983) as Provost
- Venus and Adonis (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1987) as Narrator
- Hamlet (British National Theatre, 1989)
- Richard III (British National Theatre, 1990)
- Richard II (Gainsborough Studios Theatre, 2000)
- Coriolanus (Gainsborough Studios Theatre, 2000)
- King Lear (Almeida Theatre, 2002)
- Love’s Labour’s Lost (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2008) as Holofernes
- Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2008) as Polonius
- All’s Well That Ends Well (National Theatre, 2009) as King of France
- Richard II (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013) as Duke of York
- Henry IV Part 2 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2014) as Justice Shallow
Hugh Quarshie (Captain Panaka)
Appeared in:
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TV movie, 1981) as Philostrate
- The Winter’s Tale (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Cleomenes
- Titus Andronicus (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Aaron
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1981) as Outlaw
- Henry IV Part 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1982) as Hotspur/ Vernon
- Titus Andronicus (TV movie, 1985) as Aaron
- Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1986) as Tybalt
- Macbeth (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1986) as Banquo
- Hamlet (British National Theatre, 1989)
- Shakespeare: The Animated Tales- Julius Caesar (TV mini-series, 1994) as Cassius
- Julius Caesar (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1995) as Mark Antony
- Othello (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2015) as Othello
Brian Blessed (Boss Nass)
Appeared in:
- Hamlet (National Theatre, 1977)
- Julius Caesar (National Theatre, 1977)
- Richard III (National Theatre, 1977)
- Measure for Measure (National Theatre, 1977)
- Macbeth (National Theatre, 1978)
- Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1984) as Lord Hastings
- Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1984) as Claudius
- Henry V (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1984) as Duke of Exeter
- Henry V (1989) as Duke Thomas Beaufort of Exeter
- Much Ado About Nothing (1993) as Antonio
- Macbeth (1997) as Edward the Confessor
- King Lear (1999) as King Lear
- As You Like It (2006) as Duke Senior/ Duke Frederick
Christopher Lee (Count Dooku)
Appeared in:
- Julius Caesar (1970) as Artemidorus
Jimmy Smits (Senator Bail Organa)
Appeared in:
- Othello (Colorado Shakespeare Festival, 1984) as Othello
- Twelfth Night (Delacorte Theater, 2002) as Orsino
Rose Byrne (Dorme)
Appeared in:
- Wicker Park (2004) as Alex
*This movie is inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream!
Ayesha Dharker (Queen Jamillia)
Appeared in:
- Othello (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2015) as Emelia
What parallels do you notice in Star Wars movies and Shakespeare’s plays? Share some examples with us!
Tomorrow, we will focus on the cast of the brand new movie, The Force Awakens!
