Star Wars always needs more Sith Lords to act as its antagonists, and there are 20 actors who would perfectly portray a dark side Force user. Sith Lords are some of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars movies, with notable names such as Darth Sidious and Darth Vader among the most powerful Sith ever. The Sith formed by splintering off from the Jedi Order in about 5,000 BBY, and they have terrorized the galaxy ever since.
There are currently 35 named Sith Lords in Star Wars canon, but casting one of them, or adding them to the list, would be difficult. As upcoming Star Wars shows begin to delve deeper into the dark side of the Force, the introduction of a new Sith Lord seems inevitable. With a red lightsaber, ruthless dark side powers, and sinister plans, portraying a Sith Lord would be no small feat. Only the best actors could give life to such detestable villains and explore the wide range of characteristics that make them so easy to root against. Luckily, there are 20 actors who could play Sith Lords perfectly.
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20 Dev Patel
The Green Knight, Slumdog Millionaire
Dev Patel would be the perfect candidate to build on the type of Sith Lord introduced by Kylo Ren: young and inexperienced, but also strong and ruthless. His role as Sir Gawain in The Green Knight proved that Patel can nail this type of role while still conveying the proper insidiousness associated with the Sith. Casting him as a Sith Lord would be the perfect opportunity for Star Wars to explore the Sith Rule of Two and what it takes for a young apprentice to overtake their master.
19 Christopher Judge
God Of War, Stargate SG-1
Christopher Judge would be a great pick to portray a Sith Lord either with or without a helmet. Star Wars has a long history of intimidating helmets, and a new Sith Lord could follow in Darth Vader’s footsteps by giving a notable voice more time than a recognizable face. Judge has achieved renewed success as a voice actor by playing Kratos in the God of War video games. His booming voice embodies the Greek god, but he could also perfectly replicate the fear James Earl Jones’ rendition of Darth Vader instilled in his enemies.
18 Cate Blanchett
Thor: Ragnarok, The Lord Of The Rings
Cate Blanchett has played a wide variety of roles that range in moral standing. She gave a frightening performance as Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, but she has also played heroes like Galadriel in franchises like The Lord of the Rings, and more complex characters like Lydia in Tár. Her range as an actor would lend itself beautifully to a new role as a Sith Lord. With Blanchett in the role, Star Wars could deliver one of its most complicated villains ever.
17 Dave Bautista
Guardians Of The Galaxy, Blade Runner: 2049
If Star Wars chooses to showcase a physically strong Sith Lord, there are few better choices than Dave Bautista. He has an impressive physique and incredible acting skills that he showed off in movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Blade Runner: 2049. Bautista would be an imposing figure as a Sith Lord, thanks both to his strength and his ability to play intimidating characters.
16 Ron Perlman
Hellboy, Sons Of Anarchy
The new era of Star Wars also has a chance to depict Sith Lords of different species, thanks to special effects. Ron Perlman is no stranger to acting in prosthetic makeup thanks to his numerous roles, most notably as the title character in Hellboy. Perlman could be a perfect choice for a live-action, non-human villain. His greatest asset for the role would be his voice, though, which he has used to portray another popular villain, the Lich in Adventure Time. Perlman’s voice carries the perfect blend of strength and insidiousness that would make a Sith Lord incredibly compelling.
15 Keith David
The Princess And The Frog, The Thing
Keith David, another legendary voice actor, could give a sinister and charming performance as a helmeted Sith Lord. He has played a number of iconic villains, such as Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog and the demonic anti-hero Al Simmons in Spawn. David’s deep voice would fit perfectly into the galaxy far, far away, and he would give a stellar performance either by voice alone or in-person, as long as his character gets a lot of speaking lines.
14 Dichen Lachman
Jurassic World: Dominion, Severance
Dichen Lachman is no stranger to the science-fiction genre, as she portrayed Ms. Casey in Severance. Another one of her roles would serve her better to inspire her performance as a Sith Lord, though, as she also played Reileen Kawahara in Altered Carbon. Lachman displayed impressive sword skills in Altered Carbon and gave a complex and sympathetic portrayal of an obsessive villain. These characteristics would translate perfectly to potentially wielding a red lightsaber and the emotional intricacies of the dark side of the Force.
13 Christoph Waltz
Django: Unchained, Inglourious Basterds
Christoph Waltz has played in multiple roles that were contenders for the best movie villains of all time, and he could extend that streak as a Sith Lord. Some of his more notorious villains include Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds and Blofeld in the James Bond movie Spectre. Waltz is incredibly skilled at making his characters easy to root against, and casting him as a Sith Lord could instantly establish what kind of reputation the character has.
12 Javier Bardem
Skyfall, No Country For Old Men
As another actor with a long list of iconic villain roles under his belt, including another James Bond movie, Javier Bardem would give a rich performance in a Star Wars role. Some of his best known villains include Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men and Raoul Silva in Skyfall. His reputation would precede him into this role, and Bardem could be one of the most evil Sith Lords other than Sidious.
11 Zoë Kravitz
Mad Max: Fury Road, The Batman
Zoë Kravitz recently cemented herself as a top candidate to play a Sith Lord with her impressive portrayal of Catwoman in The Batman. While the Sith often rely on strength and raw power to achieve their evil aims, Kravitz could bring a new method to the role. The acrobatics she displayed as Catwoman would make her an interesting threat to the Jedi. The mobility Kravitz would have as a Sith Lord would make her difficult to track, and even more difficult to defeat.
10 Tilda Swinton
Snowpiercer, Doctor Strange
Perhaps the actor with the most range on this list, Tilda Swinton’s portrayal of a Sith Lord could go in any number of directions. From the refined and wise Ancient One in Doctor Strange to the repugnant and weaselly Minister Mason in Snowpiercer, Swinton can do it all. Star Wars could explore more sides of the Sith than ever before by casting an actor with her level of versatility.
9 David Dastmalchian
Dune, The Suicide Squad
David Dastmalchian also has several villainous and unlikable roles under his belt, which would prepare him for a potential casting as a Sith Lord. He played Polka Dot Man in The Suicide Squad and Bob Taylor in Prisoners, both of which gave him excellent experience in playing unnerving characters. Where other actors on this list might be more overtly intimidating, Dastmalchian would be an eerie and unsettling Sith Lord. His rendition could highlight the more terrifying qualities of someone so skilled with the dark side of the Force.
8 Cillian Murphy
28 Days Later, Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy has had a huge range of roles through his career, and he could take inspiration from any number of them. His time as Scarecrow in Batman Begins could lend itself to a more horrifying Sith Lord. However, his experience as Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders could also give him an upper hand in portraying a cunning and refined villain who uses his mind more than his lightsaber. However he chose to play the role, Murphy could become one of the most iconic Sith Lords in all of Star Wars.
7 Ralph Fiennes
Schindler’s List, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Ralph Fiennes has played a huge number of villains and characters with less than perfect morals throughout his career. From the overtly evil Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise to the horribly misguided Chef Slowik in The Menu, he has given life to so many different aspects of various evil-doers. Fiennes could channel any one of his previous roles into the galaxy of Star Wars, and he would do it brilliantly. Whether the Sith need a new and more complex direction to take, or if they choose to continue along the path of being downright deplorable, Fiennes can accomplish either.
6 Helena Bonham Carter
Les Misérables, Fight Club
Helena Bonham Carter has an eccentricity as an actor that would translate beautifully to the galaxy far, far away. Her previous role as Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter franchise is the best example of how unique her villain can be. Bonham Carter twirled and danced and delighted in her despicable actions as the character, which proved incredibly compelling. That irreverent attitude and physicality could make her into a terrifying and unique Sith Lord.
5 Lupita Nyong’o
12 Years A Slave, Us
Lupita Nyong’o has already portrayed a Star Wars character, as she provided the voice for Maz Kanata, but she could still have an in-person debut for the franchise. Making the switch from voice to in-person roles is not unheard of for Star Wars, as Andy Serkis played both Supreme Leader Snoke in the sequel trilogy and Kino Loy in Andor. If anyone could do it again, Nyong’o’s range and command over her emotional roles would make her the perfect candidate. She already has experience playing a villain, as she portrayed Red in Us, which would make her jump to the dark side even easier.
4 Wagner Moura
Elite Squad, Narcos
Wagner Moura has played several villains throughout his career, and continuing that trend as a Sith Lord would be a perfect choice. He is known as Pablo Escobar in Narcos, and as Wolf, a personification of death in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. These previous roles make him perfect for either an in-person role or as the voice behind a helmet. Moura could be an intimidating and dread-inducing force, no matter how he takes on the role.
3 Gary Oldman
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Dark Knight
Physical strength and power in the dark side of the Force make for a terrific villain, but there is also something unnerving about a Sith Lord who has lived long enough to gain tremendous experience. Gary Oldman could take inspiration from Christopher Lee’s time as Count Dooku and give a more refined and seasoned take on a Star Wars villain. Known for his villainous roles as Norman Stansfield in Léon: The Professional and as the titular vampire in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Oldman certainly has enough credentials to give a skilled performance.
2 Jason Momoa
Aquaman, Fast X
Jason Momoa could bring an unprecedented level of physicality to the dark side of the Force. His strength as the titular hero in Aquaman, coupled with his evil ways as Dante in Fast X, would give him a strong basis to explore the role. Whether it be revenge or ambition or any other motivation, Momoa could convince anybody of his power as a Sith Lord. Anybody who stood in his way would also have to survive a rush of very strong attacks, which Momoa would be more than capable of delivering.
1 Henry Cavill
Man of Steel, Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Perhaps the best prepared for a role as a Sith Lord, Henry Cavill would be an excellent choice to play a new Star Wars villain. He has demonstrated incredible skill with a sword and magical abilities in his role as Geralt in The Witcher. He also has experience playing a more subtle and secretive villain after his role as August Walker in Mission: Impossible – Fallout. While he may be best known for portraying heroes, Cavill is well suited to play a villainous Sith Lord. He would be a perfect continuation of the Sith Lords Star Wars has already displayed, with lightsaber skills and hidden agendas galore.
Carrying on the agenda of the dark side of the Force and playing a Sith Lord isn’t an easy task for anyone. Fortunately, there are 20 actors who would be perfect fits for the role. Through their range of experiences and varied specialties in acting, any one of them could add a plethora of lore to the ancient followers of the dark side. When Star Wars chooses its next villain, these actors should be at the top of the list.
Star Wars
- Created by
- George Lucas
- Cast
- Mark Hamill , James Earl Jones , David Prowse , Carrie Fisher , Harrison Ford , Daisy Ridley , Adam Driver , Ian McDiarmid , Ewan McGregor , Rosario Dawson , Lars Mikkelsen , Rupert Friend , Moses Ingram , Frank Oz , Pedro Pascal
