Star Wars' Unmasking Of Sebastian Shaw As Darth Vader Disappointed David Prowse
There were a lot of things about "Star Wars: Episode VI — The Return of the Jedi" that gave fans closure for the trilogy. The second Death Star was blown up. The Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) was defeated. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) finally admitted their feelings and kissed. We also found out that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Leia were siblings and saw Darth Vader redeemed and unmasked before his death. That last one might have been wonderful for fans, but for David Prowse, who did all the physical work for the role (with the voice of James Earl Jones replacing his own), it was a disappointment.
That is according to an interview with Prowse with Rock Cellar Magazine in 2012. The actor, who passed away at the age of 85 in 2020, had been a bodybuilder, helped train Christopher Reeve for his 1978 "Superman" role, and appeared in projects like "A Clockwork Orange," the 1967 "Casino Royale," and the 1981 BBC adaptation of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." He said his being physically replaced wasn't because of anything he did, but the role of Darth Vader was a big one. Not being seen as himself was a blow.
'I wasn't privy to everything going on in the movie'
In a world with social media, hardcore fans are quick to let people know who is under costumes that cover faces, like how Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder are often inside Din Djarin's suit in "The Mandalorian" while Pedro Pascal does the voice (and sometimes the suit). When Prowse was playing Darth Vader, however, this wasn't the case. He recorded the dialogue, then found out that George Lucas had James Earl Jones re-record what would be played over his movement. Then he found out he'd been replaced again. He recalled:
"I wasn't privy to everything going on in the movie, and was disappointed when I learned that the dying Darth Vader would be played by actor Sebastian Shaw. I think the fans were disappointed too, as they hoped to see Dave Prowse when Darth Vader was finally unmasked."
It's hard to imagine how much that must have sucked. You get a part in what became one of the most well-known movies in the world, you lose the speaking part, and after being promised that your face would finally be shown, that gets taken from you in what everyone assumed would be the last "Star Wars" film. According to Prowse, the casting change happened because Shaw and Sir Alec Guinness, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi, were close friends. Shaw, he explained, was having "a bad time financially," and Guinness asked Lucas about getting him a part. It was the only role available.
It happened to Sebastian Shaw, too
Prowse continued:
"Unfortunately, everybody was expecting to see me, and unfortunately for me, they got to see Sebastian Shaw. I would have loved to play that part. And it had nothing to do with any problems they were having with me, or anything like that. It was simply Alec doing his friend a favor and George was doing him a favor, as it were."
Prowse wasn't alone in being replaced. It happened to Sebastian Shaw, too. Shaw, who worked extensively in theater and appeared in films like "The Old Curiosity Shop" and "All's Well That Ends Well," passed away at the age of 89 in 1994, didn't live to see this, but in 2004, Lucas replaced Shaw's version of Anakin Skywalker's Force ghost with Hayden Christensen. He, of course, played Anakin as a youth in the second two prequel films (Jake Lloyd played him as a child in the first one).
Whatever ended up happening on film, fans will forever be grateful for the imposing presence of David Prowse on camera. All the "Star Wars" films are currently streaming on Disney+.