Kenneth Colley Dead At 87 — 'Star Wars' Star Passed 'Peacefully With Friends at His Bedside' After Contracting Covid and Pneumonia
Star Wars actor Kenneth Colley has died.
July 3 2025, Published 11:00 a.m. ET
A legendary British actor who once battled the rebel alliance as a member of the empire in the Star Wars franchise has died, RadarOnline.com can report.
Kenneth Colley, best known for his role as Admiral Piett in the original saga, contracted COVID and developed pneumonia. He was 87.
Colley was a key part of Darth Vader's empire.
Colley was a prominent figure in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, playing the imperial officer who commanded Darth Vader’s flagship Super Star Destroyer Executor.
His agent Julian Owen shared a statement confirming that Colley died Monday at a local hospital.
According to the statement, Colley "had been admitted after a fall with an injured arm, however he quickly contracted Covid, which developed into pneumonia. He passed away peacefully with friends at his bedside."
60 Year Career
He was a fan favorite in 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi'
Owen continued: "Ken Colley was one of our finest character actors with a career spanning 60 years.
"Ken continually worked on stage, film and television playing a vast array of characters, from Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian to evil and eccentric characters in Ken Russell films, and the Duke of Vienna in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure for the BBC."
But for sci-fi fans, he will always be a vital part of the empire. In later years, Colley reprised the role of Admiral Piett when he voiced the character in the 2012 animated Lego production, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out.
"Ken’s participation in Star Wars led him to being invited to conventions and official fan events all over the world, where he remains one of the best loved actors from the original trilogy," the statement added.
May the Force Be With Him
He was also active at Star Wars conventions.
Fans online shared their memories and appreciation for his work.
One shared: "You are immortalized in a galaxy far, far away, and in the hearts of Star Wars fans everywhere. May the Force Be With You."
Another added: "Sad to hear about Kenneth Colley's passing. Covid and pneumonia are still taking a toll. RIP to the Admiral Piett actor." While a third commented: "Awwww He will always be remembered RIP."
And one person remarked: "Just the other day I saw a compilation of all Piett's scenes. I couldn't believe he only had about five minutes of screen time across the two movies. In my mind he was so central to both films. And his face when the Falcon jumps at the end of Empire is one of the best bits of silent acting in the trilogy."
Legendary Losses
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James Earl Jones died in 2024.
Colley's death comes less than a year after the passing of the voice of his on-screen boss, James Earl Jones, at 93. The EGOT winner was credited in nearly 200 projects, and had one of the most recognizable voices in the entertainment industry.
His deep, booming timbre was unmistakable as he played iconic characters like the villain in Star Wars and Mufasa in Disney's The Lion King.
In 1977, Jones debuted as Sith Lord Darth Vader in George Lucas’s Star Wars: A New Hope. He was paid just $7k to play the role, but returned for each subsequent installment up until the 2022 Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, for which AI technology created his voice using archived recordings.
