Inside Kenneth Colley’s Final Battle: Star Wars’ Admiral Piett Succumbs to COVID-19 at 87
So apparently the Force couldn’t hustle up a medevac for yet another familiar face. Kenneth Colley, best known for his ice-cold glare as Admiral Piett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, passed away at age 87 after a nasty tag team of COVID-19 and pneumonia dealt the final blow. His rep confirmed to People and Variety that Colley died peacefully on August 14, saying the actor “fought bravely” but ultimately lost his duel with the double threat.
Colley’s career trajectory could make any bit player jealous. Before he barked orders at Stormtroopers, he honed his chops on London’s stages and in Hammer horror films, twisting fangs in The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires. Hollywood noticed, and soon he was trading his Shakespeare for space opera—earning a permanent slot in Star Wars lore as Darth Vader’s ever-competent helmsman. If you squint, you can almost feel the dread in that uniformed stare when he delivers the line, “Yes, my lord.”
Despite his screen-stealing potential, Colley never got the megaphone treatment. He happily embraced the character actor life, popping up in Titanic as Second Officer Lightoller, flexing spots on TV dramas like The Saint, and lending his baritone to radio productions. Variety reminds us he also wrote and directed stage plays, a crafty reminder that Colley refused to be boxed in by any one role—although we’ll forever see him staring at holograms, waiting for orders.
His family released a brief statement via The Hollywood Reporter, praising his “wry sense of humor, unshakable professionalism, and love for storytelling.” They mentioned he was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, underlining that even modern medicine can’t rewrite every script. If you’re hunting for silver linings, Colley’s passing is a stark testament to the virus’s lingering threat to elders, no matter how legendary their parts.
Social media lit up with tributes from Star Wars co-stars and fans alike. Mark Hamill mourned the loss, calling Colley “a consummate professional who made the fleet feel real.” Warwick Davis tweeted a backstage photo with Colley at a 2018 convention, noting how “he’d ask you how your sandwich was before diving into Force lore.” It’s those small moments that made him more than an admiral in a fantasy saga—he felt like an ally in our living rooms.
Sure, it feels a bit grim to spotlight COVID casualties by name. But if the Empire’s dreadful march across the galaxy taught us anything, it’s that even the most unassuming players can leave lasting ripples. Colley’s steady presence reminded us that not every hero wears a cape—some wear an admiral’s tunic and deliver one-liners under a death star’s glow.
And that’s your reality check for today. Admiral Piett has finally ordered “lights out,” and trust us, nobody’s calling for encore applause. Stay masked, stay skeptical, and join us next time when Hollywood coughs up another plot twist none of us asked for.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, New York Post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
