'Star Wars' Actor, 87, Dies
He commanded Darth Vader's ship — but not even the Empire could save him from what happened next.
Kenneth Colley, the British actor immortalized as Admiral Piett in Star Wars, has died at age 87 after a devastating turn of events. A fall reportedly sent him to the hospital. There, he contracted COVID. Days later, pneumonia sealed his fate. The man who made it through two "Star Wars" films — a feat few Imperial officers can claim — died not from lasers or lightsabers, but from a cruel chain reaction set off by a simple accident.
From Jesus to the Dark Side
If you recognized Colley from more than one galaxy, you're not wrong. Before commanding Darth Vader's Executor in 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back" and 1983's "Return of the Jedi," Colley played Jesus in Monty Python's outrageous religious satire "Life of Brian" — a role he performed with stunning sincerity amid all the absurdity.
Yes, he was that versatile.
Over a career spanning more than five decades and more than 150 credits, Colley left his mark in high comedy, dark drama, and Shakespearean stage roles. But nothing lodged him deeper into pop culture than Admiral Piett — the rare Imperial officer in Star Wars who didn't get force-choked after a single screw-up.
As director Irvin Kershner allegedly told Colley during casting, he was "looking for someone that would frighten Hitler," as reported by The Guardian. According to TheBlast.com, after the audition, Kershner told him, "Yes, I think you're it," as reported by Yahoo.
The Role That Made Him a Legend
In a sea of forgettable villains and helmeted henchmen, Colley's Piett stood out — sharp, calm, and quietly terrified of the dark lord behind him.
According to PEOPLE, Colley remains the only actor to portray an Imperial officer in more than one of the original trilogy films, making Piett an unlikely survivor and a fan convention favorite for decades.
It wasn't just the lines. It was the look — the way he flinched, then stood his ground. He brought a very real kind of fear to the fantasy, a subtle performance that gave gravity to the Empire's cold machinery.
His Final Performance Came Offscreen
Colley died on June 30, 2025 in Ashford, Kentucky, after being hospitalized for an arm injury sustained in a fall. While there, he contracted COVID. The infection developed into pneumonia, according to his agent Julian Owen, who confirmed the death days later.
"It is with great sadness to report that my client Kenneth Colley passed away Monday 30th June at around 5:30pm in hospital in Ashford, Kent. He was 87," Owen wrote in a statement, as reported by Today. "He had been admitted after a fall with an injured arm, however he quickly contracted COVID which developed into pneumonia." He added that Colley died "peacefully" with friends at his bedside.
His agent praised him as "one of our finest character actors," whose range stretched from Monty Python's biblical absurdities to Ken Russell's unsettling dramas. He also played the Duke of Vienna in the BBC's 1979 adaptation of Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" and appeared in British staples like "EastEnders" and "Coronation Street."
'We've Lost a Very Good Man'
Actor and comedian Michael Palin, who worked alongside Colley in "Life of Brian," remembered him as "always dependable, always convincing and great to work with." In a statement to The Independent, as reported by PEOPLE, Palin added, "We've lost a very special actor and a very good man."
Even in his final years, Colley kept working. He lent his voice to the 2012 animated parody "Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out" and appeared in the 2024 film "Dan Hawk Psychic Detective" — his last onscreen credit.
But the role closest to his heart? It wasn't Vader's second-in-command. According to Owen, Colley's favorite performance was playing Estragon in a 2014 stage production of "Waiting for Godot" in London.
The Garden, the Cars, and the Quiet Fame
Colley didn't chase the spotlight. He didn't need to.
Offscreen, he lived a quiet life in the English countryside, where he gardened, collected art, and maintained a lifelong passion for fast cars — all while continuing to appear at "Star Wars" fan events around the globe.
He was never the loudest man in the room. But he was always remembered.
And now, with his passing, the original trilogy loses yet another piece of its soul — a man who played power so believably that we forgot he was just playing at all.
References: Star Wars Actor Kenneth Colley Dies at 87 After Contracting COVID and Pneumonia | 'Star Wars' Actor Kenneth Colley Dies of Pneumonia After Being Admitted to Hospital for Arm Injury | Beloved 'Star Wars' Actor Dies From COVID and Pneumonia | Kenneth Colley obituary | 'Star Wars' Actor Dies After Contracting Covid And Developing Pneumonia
