Anthony Daniels

For other people named Anthony Daniels, see Anthony Daniels (disambiguation).
Anthony Daniels

Anthony Daniels, 2005
Born (1946-02-21) 21 February 1946
Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, UK
Occupation Actor, mime artist
Years active 1976–
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Website anthonydaniels.com

Anthony Daniels (born 21 February 1946) is an English actor. He is best known for portraying the droid C-3PO in all of the movies in the Star Wars film series.

Early life

Daniels was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, the son of a plastics company executive.[1] He studied law for two years at university and then dropped out to participate in amateur dramatics and attend acting school. After leaving school in 1974, Daniels worked on BBC Radio and for the National Theatre of Great Britain at The Young Vic. Whilst working in the theatre, he was invited to meet director George Lucas who was casting for Star Wars. Daniels at first turned down the interview but was persuaded by his agent to meet Lucas.[2]

Never a science fiction fan, Daniels has said that before his role in Star Wars the only science fiction film he had ever seen in a theatre was 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968; he was so displeased with the film that he walked out after 10 minutes and demanded his money back.[3] However, in a 2011 interview he said that he had watched it for longer than 10 minutes, and having since watched it in full, now regards it as a masterpiece. In the same interview, he said he enjoyed post-apocalyptic films such as Mad Max.[4]

Career

Star Wars

Daniels with fellow Star Wars actor Warwick Davis in 2010
Daniels in May 2011

Daniels has played C-3PO in all of the Star Wars feature films from the original installment in the series, as both the body and voice of the golden robot. In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, he wore a blue Spandex costume so that during editing of the movie his body could be turned into many different wires and circuits. Daniels has reprised the role for various promotional work such as hosting The Making of Star Wars, Star Wars Connections and The Science of Star Wars; for appearances on The Muppet Show and Sesame Street and an anti-smoking public service announcement; for Star Wars Holiday Special; in advertising for Star Wars licensed products such as Kenner toys; and even a breakfast cereal based on the character.[5]

Daniels voiced C-3PO in the Star Wars radio serial based on the original trilogy. He is the only cast member of the original Star Wars trilogy to voice his character in all three parts of NPR's dramatisations of the trilogy. He voiced C-3PO for four animated series: Droids, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Star Wars Rebels. Other C-3PO voicework by Daniels includes: the Christmas-themed Christmas in the Stars album; the multiple Walt Disney theme park attractions, Star Tours and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue; the fan film/show Raiders of the Lost Jedi Temple of Doom: A Fan Film of Epic Proportions and the Star Tours shutdown ceremony as a part of the Disney's Hollywood Studios' "Last Tour to Endor" event at Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Florida. He also provided the narration and all character voices for the audio books Dark Force Rising and The Last Command.[6]

Anthony Daniels in 2013

Daniels contributed the foreword to the collected scripts of the Return of the Jedi radio drama, as their author Brian Daley died just as the episodes were being recorded. Daniels' other Star Wars-related writings include the Wonder Column for Star Wars Insider magazine and a comic book adventure for C-3PO and R2-D2 entitled The Protocol Offensive, published by Dark Horse Comics.[7]

Daniels controlled the puppet for 2002's Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones, but all these scenes were cut, with the droid's first appearance in the film being Daniels in costume. In this film and 2005's Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, he also performed the vocal tracks for scenes that featured a computer-generated C-3PO. Daniels is the only actor to act in the original seven films, the 2008 Clone Wars film, and the related television series.[8]

Daniels hosted the Star Wars: In Concert North American tour.[9]

Daniels also makes cameo appearances as a humanoid in two scenes of the feature films. His character, Lieutenant Dannl Faytonni, is named as a tribute to his own name, albeit in modified form. The character appears in the Outlander nightclub scene early in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones as a man in blue uniform who can be seen in a cutaway reaction shot after Obi-Wan disarms the bounty hunter Zam Wesell. Faytonni can also be seen at the Galaxies Opera House in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.[10]

Daniels reprised his role as C-3PO in The Lego Movie when his character made a cameo appearance along with other crew members of the Millennium Falcon.[11]

Daniels reprised his role as C-3PO in the seventh Star Wars film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which began filming in May 2014 and was released in December 2015.[12] J.J. Abrams, the director for The Force Awakens, told Daniels that he was only going to be the voice of C-3PO in the film. However, Abrams changed his mind and decided Daniels would wear the suit in the film as well. Abrams made a new C-3PO suit for Daniels to wear during filming using 3D-printing that allows Daniels a great deal more mobility and comfort than the original suit. Daniels is also signed to appear as C-3PO in the two sequels following The Force Awakens;[13] they will be released in 2017[14] and 2019, respectively.

Other acting roles

Daniels was the voice of Legolas in the Ralph Bakshi animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (1978). He has appeared intermittently on British television in various dramas, notably in a recurring role in Prime Suspect starring Helen Mirren. He also played the priest in the British spoof horror film I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle (1990).[15][16]

Daniels has appeared at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida for the Star Wars Weekends as he gave his "inside the saga" story.

Other work

Daniels is an Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center.[9]

Personal life

Daniels married Christine Savage on 9 May 2014.[17] He has a son from a previous relationship.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1977 Star Wars C-3PO [15]
1978 The Lord of the Rings Legolas Greenleaf [15]
1980 The Empire Strikes Back C-3PO [15]
1982 Return of the Ewok C-3PO Video short, unreleased
1983 Return of the Jedi C-3PO [15]
1987 Star Tours C-3PO Uncredited
1990 I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle Priest [16]
1999 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace C-3PO [15]
2002 Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones C-3PO & Dannl Faytonni [15]
2005 Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith C-3PO & Dannl Faytonni [15]
2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars C-3PO Voice
2011 Star Tours: The Adventure Continues C-3PO Short, voice
2014 The Lego Movie C-3PO Voice
2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens C-3PO [15]
2017 Star Wars: Episode VIII C-3PO Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1978 Star Wars Holiday Special C-3PO TV Special
1979 Turning Year Tales John Episode: Dear Harriet
1980 The Muppet Show C-3PO Season 4, Episode 17: The Stars of Star Wars
Sesame Street C-3PO 4 episodes
1984 The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady Kenneth 7 episodes
1985 Star Wars: Droids C-3PO 13 episodes
1986 The Great Heep C-3PO TV Movie
1987 Three Up Two Down Rupert Fairfax Episode: Mirror Mirror on the Wall
1988–89 Square Deal Julian 3 episodes
1990 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color C-3PO Episode: Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration, voice
1995 Prime Suspect Pathologist Inner Circles and The Lost Child, TV movies
The Famous Five Professor Dobson Episode: Five on a Secret Trail
1997 Star Wars: Droids – The Pirates and the Prince C-3PO Video, voice
2001 Urban Gothic Mr Tidyman Episode: Serotonin Wild
2002 Star Wars: Connections C-3PO TV Short
2004 Holby City Colonel Donald Humphries Episode: In the Line of Fire
Ghosts of Albion Embers Lord Nelson TV movie, voice
2004–05 Star Wars: Clone Wars C-3PO 4 episodes, voice
2008–11 Star Wars: The Clone Wars C-3PO 11 episodes, voice
2010 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III C-3PO TV movie, voice
2011 Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace C-3PO TV movie, voice
2012 Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out C-3PO TV movie, voice
2012–13 Dirigible Days Narrator Executive producer, 5 episodes
2013 Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles C-3PO 3 TV movies
2014 The New Yoda Chronicles C-3PO 3 TV movies
Star Wars Rebels C-3PO Episode: Droids in Distress, voice
2015 Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales C-3PO 5 episodes, voice

Documentaries

Year Title Role Notes
1977 The Making of Star Wars C-3PO, host TV movie documentary
1978 50th Academy Awards C-3PO (presenter) TV special
1983 Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi C-3PO / himself TV movie documentary
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga C-3PO / himself TV movie documentary
2004 Empire of Dreams C-3PO / himself Video documentary
2005 Science of Star Wars C-3PO / himself

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Monopoly Star Wars C-3PO Writer, voice
2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars C-3PO Voice
2009 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – Ultimate Sith Edition C-3PO Voice
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 C-3PO Voice
2015 Star Wars Battlefront C-3PO Voice

References

  1. ↑ Lubow, Arthur. "The Forces Behind Jedi: Making Movie History Took Lucas & Co. to the Outer Limits", People, vol. 20, no. 6, 8 August 1983.
  2. ↑ "The Official Anthony Daniels Web Site". anthonydaniels.com.
  3. ↑ Dermot O'Leary Show, BBC Radio 2, 21 March 2009.
  4. ↑ "C-3PO: Q&A with Anthony Daniels". The Independent.
  5. ↑ Kevyn Cortez (19 September 2015). "Star Wars Episode VII's Anthony Daniels Confirms Practical C-3P0 Suit". movienewsguide. Movie News Guide. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  6. ↑ Trudi Miller Rosenblum (5 November 1994). "Avalanche of Audiobooks set for Holidays". Billboard 106 (45). Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Star Wars: Droids – The Protocol Offensive". darkhorse.com. Retrieved 2 December 2015. written by See Threepio actor Anthony Daniels
  8. ↑ Alice Vincent (18 September 2014). "C3P0 will get a new suit for Star Wars VII". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 December 2015. The only actor to appear in all six Star Wars films
  9. 1 2 MaryCatherine (15 September 2009). "Adjunct Professor Anthony Daniels to Narrate North American tour of Star Wars: In Concert". ETC Global News. Carnegie Mellon University.
  10. ↑ "4 Actors Who Played Multiple Star Wars Roles". starwars.com. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  11. ↑ Jessica Boulton (20 September 2015). "Star Wars C-3P0 on how R2-D2 was no Force to reckon with and Princess Leia in a bikini was boring". Mirror. Retrieved 24 September 2015. even had a cameo in 2013's The Lego Movie
  12. ↑ "Star Wars: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill reunite for latest film". BBC News. 29 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Rainey, James (4 September 2015). "'Star Wars': Anthony Daniels Slams Disney's 'Kremlin Attitude' Over 'Force Awakens'". Variety. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  14. ↑ "Star Wars: Episode VIII Now Filming". StarWars.com. Star Wars. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Ryan Gilbey (3 September 2015). "'The secrecy has been ludicrous': Star Wars actor Anthony Daniels on the new film and his life as C-3PO". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  16. 1 2 Kim Newman (1 January 2000). "I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle Review". Empire. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  17. ↑ "Picture – Anthony Daniels and his then partner (now wife) Christine work=Contact Music". 22 November 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2013.

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