In today's Star Wars franchise, it's not unusual for well-known actors to the cast and make their debut in a galaxy far, far away. With Disney having ownership, many big-time celebrities are associated with the gigantic media conglomerate.
Stormtroopers are an iconic element of the Star Wars phenomena and appear in vast numbers throughout each film and television show. However, what some fans may not know is that major celebrities have taken the opportunity to suit up for the Empire and live the dream of being some of the most dangerous stormtroopers in the Star Wars universe.
Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis is known for his great comedic performances and quirky persona. More recently, Sudeikis has received a ton of praise for this role as the title character in the Apple TV+ original series Ted Lasso. His role in Horrible Bosses (2011) alongside Jason Bateman and Charlie Day is also a loved comedy.
The only way fans would have known that Sudeikis appeared as a stormtrooper is if they recognized his voice (because, in a very rare occurrence, his character has a full-on conversation with his partner). Sudeikis makes his Star Wars debut in The Mandalorian episode "Chapter 8: Redemption" and brings great comedic relief to the scene with his co-star, Adam Pally.
Adam Pally
Adam Pally may not be as well-known among celebrities who have played stormtroopers, but he's had roles in many prominent movies and television shows. Most notably, Pally played funny man Peter Prentice in The Mindy Project. He also appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) and will reprise his role in the sequel coming out later this year.
Pally is a stormtrooper, or in this case bike trooper, right alongside Jason Sudeikis, and their acting vernacular pairs incredibly well. They bicker at each other and the banter between them presents a new interpretation of the usually otherwise silent soldiers.
Daniel Craig
None other than James Bond himself (which is considered Daniel Craig's best character) got to suit up as a stormtrooper in Episode VII: The Force Awakens. While it can be an impossible task to figure out which trooper is which, fans can locate Craig in the film as the stormtrooper assigned to guard Rey when she's restrained by Kylo Ren.
Craig has made quite a splash in the cinematic world aside from being the suave 007. His role as an escaped convict with bleach-blond hair in Logan Lucky (2017) was a polar opposite from the martini-sipping spy. Craig's other note-worthy roles include investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) and southern detective Benoit Blanc in Knives Out (2019).
Ben Schwartz
It's hard to imagine Ben Schwartz in a non-speaking role, especially since fans had gotten used to his extremely loud and vocal performances (such as John Ralphio in Parks and Recreation).
However, appearing as a stormtrooper in Episode VII: The Force Awakens wasn't his only contribution to the final trilogy of the original franchise. Along with Bill Hader, Schwartz played a key role in voicing the lovable droid, BB-8, the lovable Star Wars droid that shows a lot of emotion.
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is a pop-music icon with his catchy lyrics and dance-worthy tunes. He's also made acting appearances in the movie Yesterday (2019) and on the ever-popular Game of Thrones. His lovely voice is also credited for his contribution to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and he played Sir Cormac in FX's miniseries The Bastard Executioner (2015).
It can be considered ironic that Sheeran doned a stormtrooper suit for Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) (as evidenced by the behind-the-scenes footage) because he's most well-known for his singing. However, it's safe to say that anyone would gladly refrain from singing for the chance to be a part of the magic that is Star Wars.
Gwendoline Christie
Gwendoline Christie is one of the few Empirical soldiers who are individually identifiable from the others. Audiences only hear her voice throughout the series, but her portrayal of the malicious Captain Phasma is unforgettable.
Many fans who recognized Christie's voice or knew of her role as Kylo Ren's go-to stormtrooper found it nice to see her in a role so opposite to that of her infamous Game of Thrones character, Brienne of Tarth. While Brienne is obviously a mighty warrior, fans loved to root for her; and they cheered when she died as Phasma.
Karl Urban
Karl Urban is no stranger to big-time science-fiction and fantasy franchises. He can tick off starring in the Star Trek movies, Thor: Ragnarok (2018), the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Boys, the Riddick movies, and even Xena: Warrior Princess.
Urban added Star Wars to his acting credits when he appeared as a stormtrooper in Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. His versatility is evident through his chameleon-like talent from the clean-cut Dr. "Bones" McCoy in Star Trek to the foul-mouthed Billy Butcher of The Boys to the long-haired warrior Eomer in Lord of the Rings.
Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy is yet another actor who has been in a lot of big-time Hollywood franchises and stand-alone films. He's taken on the Marvel role of Eddie Brock aka Venom and played the title character in the reboot of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). He's also appeared in multiple Christopher Nolan films, most notably as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Inception (2010).
However, although Hardy suited up as a stormtrooper in Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, his appearance was ultimately cut from the final edition of the film. However, although his cameo didn't make it to the version presented to audiences around the globe, his scene is apparently featured in the deleted scenes bonus footage.
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert is a popular talk show host whose satirical monologues and entertaining interviews bumped him up from Comedy Central's The Colbert Report to hosting the esteemed The Late Show, which he took over in 2015.
Colbert's cameo as a stormtrooper in The Rise of Skywalker (via International Business Times) is refreshing because it shows that celebrities whose profession centers around more serious topics like politics are also part of the massive fanbase of Star Wars. It may also surprise sci-fi/fantasy fans that Colbert made a cameo as "Laketown Spy" in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) too.
Jamie Oliver
One of the more unique cameos in the Star Wars franchise is Jamie Oliver's as a stormtrooper in The Rise of Skywalker (via CBR). While movie fans won't know Oliver from films or scripted television shows, viewers of cooking shows and foodies will recognize the famous chef's name.
This is Oliver's first apparent appearance in a feature film, which is perfect given that it's a non-speaking role. It's safe to say that Oliver is a superfan like millions of others in the galaxy, but he's one of the few who got to embrace the Dark Side first-hand.
