All great TV shows and movies have great bad guys, and the Star Wars franchise universe, starting with Darth Vader, has produced a legion of nefarious icons. With shows like Andor and Ashoka upcoming, there's plenty of room for new evil characters and the great actors born to play them.
Star Wars can boast of a stellar roster of noteworthy names that have donned the Empire's uniform or simply appeared as baddies, including Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin), Christopher Lee (Count Dooku), Ian McDairmid (Emperor Palpatine) and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) but there are plenty more thespians who can shake up the dark side.
Idris Elba
As a veteran actor with loads of good guys and bad guys under his belt, Idris Elba exploded on the American scene in The Wire in 2004 and his latest film, Beast, is currently roaring through theaters.
"Imo Idris could play either Sith, Jedi, or an imperial officer," states Reddit user captain_ender, warming to the actor's ability to play characters with cool ominousness and cunning. His British accent and deep voice are tailor-made for a Sith of the Galactic Empire. As for his sci-fi and fantasy chops, his performances in the Pacific Rim movie series or the current Three Thousand Years of Longing are noteworthy.
Tom Hardy
As one of the most accomplished actors today, English actor Tom Hardy appeared on the Hollywood mega-scene in Christopher Nolan's Inception (2010). Alternately mumbling, grumbling, slippery and intense, Hardy can swerve between the suave and murderous, as seen in shows like Legend, Taboo, and Peaky Blinders.
"Tom Hardy as Darth Scion," Reddit user ttofft writes, with other Redditors referring to him as "Darth Bane." The popular character choice for Hardy is a version of Darth Sion, the Lord of Pain, who lived in the era of the Sith Wars and was one of the dark triumvirate members alongside Darth Traya and Darth Nihilus. On the verge of death, Sion had discovered immortality by feeding on hate, though the cost is an eternity of agony.
Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hiddleston, best known to audiences as Loki in the MCU universe, seems the apt choice for a Sith Lord who enjoys dark humor and chaos. When the name Tom Hiddleston is raised the Redditors respond positively to the idea of the actor portraying a young Palpatine, or as Redditor Hammerheadhunter confirms "Young Palps right there."
Anybody who can play the charismatic and unpredictable Loki as well as Hiddleston would fit right into the dark side roster, and it would be impossible for him to end up as one of those Star Wars villains who was completely wasted.
Eva Green
Known for her penchant for complex and splashy characters, French actress Eva Green has dazzled viewers with near-operatic performances in fantasy productions as wide-ranging as Penny Dreadful, Kingdom of Heaven and 300: Rise of an Empire.
"Eva Green as a Sith or Nightsister would be incredible," comments Redditor Ozlin, knowing how awesome Green can be as a villain. The concept of Green as a Nightsister, one of a coven of intergalactic witches from the planet Dathomir, is intriguing, but she'd be best as a black-caped Sith with a nasty streak.
Keanu Reeves
Though Keanu Reeves isn't the first name that pops up in a discussion of potential Sith Lord actors, the superstar has the chops as far as many Reddit users are concerned. Famous for The Matrix franchise, Speed, and the John Wick films, Reeves likes to portray the introverted but hard-hitting hero.
"I think Keanu is the one that always comes first whenever someone mentions an actor for Darth Revan," states Redditor Kenobi5792. Darth Revan, a Jedi-turned-Sith-turned-back-to-Jedi, is one of the most important characters in the era of the Sith Republic. With Neo and Wick in his bloodstream, Reeves could knock Revan out of the galactic park, potentially making his ultimate demise as heartbreaking as any in Star Wars since the death of Darth Vader.
Lupita Nyong'o
If in need of the young, serious (but potentially conflicted) type of Sith, Kenya-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong'o fits the bill absolutely. Best known for her roles in Black Panther, Us and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (as the person who brings Maz Kanata to life), Nyong'o is a superstar on the rise.
"I feel like Lupita Nyong’o could do a good Asajj Ventress," states Redditor COUNT3RPO1NT, "She gets a very haunted look to her." Having already made her mark in successful, big-budget drama and action movies, Nyong'o has the commanding kind of screen presence that would make her a powerful and persuasive Sith Lord.
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Cranston is a Californian actor of many talents, having performed a gamut of different roles from the hilarious, self-absorbed dentist Tim Whatley on Seinfeld to the science teacher become drug lord lunatic Walter White on Breaking Bad.
"Darth Heisenberg." offers user cjg5025, "Manufactures and distributes the purest death sticks on Coruscant ..." While offered with humor, many Redditors enjoyed playing with the idea of an unpredictable, Walter White-style Sith Lord. Many saw Cranston fitting well with Darth Plagueis, mentor to Palpatine and a bad guy so powerful he could influence the force-generating midichlorians.
Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh is a Hollywood veteran with a slew of science fiction and fantasy roles under her belt, including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 and Star Trek: Discovery. Her most recent smash hit was Everything Everywhere All At Once.
"Michelle Yeoh needs [to be] added to the list," comments Redditor Theopold_Elk, and fans would surely be happy to see Yeoh don the black cape of the Sith. With her trademark seriousness rippling with dry wit, Yeoh could build a layered and supremely dangerous master of the dark side.
Willem Dafoe
As a man who needs no introduction as far as eclectic characters go, the Wisconsin-born Willem Dafoe has played the Green Goblin (Spiderman), Max Schreck (Shadow of the Vampire) and Vincent van Gogh (Eternity's Gate).
"Willem Dafoe would make a great dark side occultist or something similar," comments Redditor TariTheApothecary, taking a bow to Dafoe's immense talent to play into the weird and obscure. With features as craggy as the Matterhorn, Dafoe's presence inside the dark robes of a Sith would prove terrifying.
Tilda Swinton
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As one of the most highly regarded actresses of our time, Tilda Swinton is a fixture on movie and TV screens, playing all sorts of devilish, sleek and oddball characters in projects like Orlando, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and the Snowpiercer TV series.
Reddit user DaddyDoge1821 comments, "Tilda Swinton as a sort of ‘the universe is suffering and pain’ dark monk Sith." No matter whether Swinton were to take on the part of Darth Traya or any other acolyte of the dark side of the force, it's guaranteed to go down in history as one of the best Star Wars villain performances. Her wide range and the sheer force of unique talents would demand nothing less.