Anthony Daniels is a British actor.
He played the droid C-3PO in the Star Wars series of films.
Early life Daniels was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire,
England, the son of a plastics company executive.
Never a science fiction fan, Daniels has said that before his role in Star Wars, the only
science fiction film he had ever gone to see in a theatre was 2001: A Space Odyssey in
1968.
He was so displeased with the film that he walked out after only ten minutes and demanded
his money back.
Career Star Wars
Daniels has played C-3PO in all six 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.
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 three animated series: Droids, Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars:
The Clone Wars.
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.
He 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.
He 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 six films, the 2008 Clone Wars film, and the
related television series.
Daniels hosted the Star Wars: In Concert North American tour.
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.
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.
On April 29, 2014, it was confirmed that Daniels would reprise his role as C-3PO in Star Wars
Episode VII, which began filming in May 2014.
Other acting roles Daniels was the voice of Legolas in Ralph
Bakshi’s 1978 animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings.
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 1990 British spoof horror film I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle.
He has also appeared at Disney 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.
Personal life Daniels married Christine Savage on 9 May
2014.
He has a son from a previous relationship.
References
External links Official website
Anthony Daniels on Twitter Anthony Daniels at the Internet Movie Database
Anthony Daniels at the TCM Movie Database Anthony Daniels at AllMovie
Multimedia Q&A with Daniels from the BBC website for the Ghosts of Albion