Michael Pennington, a respected Shakespeare performer and Return of the Jedi icon, has died at age 82. As the Star Wars community mourns the loss of the actor known for his character, Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, details about his personal life have come to light.
The actor was married to Katharine Barker between 1964 and 1967. They were both members of the Royal Shakespeare Company between 1964 and 1966.
Barker was born in Cumbria, England, in 1941 and is an English actress, who has acted in films, such asThe Man in Room 17 (1965), Emmerdale Farm (1972), and Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965).
Michael Pennington and Katharine Barker divorced only after three years of marriage. They shared a son named Mark.
Michael Pennington and Prue Skene: A glimpse into their decades-long relationship
Eventually, Pennington met Prue Skene sometime in the late 60s. The pair didn’t tie the knot, but they were together for decades. They lived in Highgate, London.
The connection between Pennington and Skene can be described both professionally and personally, as it was founded on their passion for the arts and Pennington’s involvement as a Shakespearean actor and a founding member of the English Shakespeare Company.
Skene, who was an esteemed arts administrator and Executive Director of Ballet Rambert, primarily resided in her Pimlico flat in London before her passing in 2025. Per a feature by journalist Jonathan Heawood, her apartment was filled with books, pictures, and flowers.
“When I moved out of London in 2016, I needed an occasional bed for the night, and Prue generously offered the use of her spare room at a peppercorn rent. She was sometimes there, and sometimes in Highgate with her partner, the actor Michael Pennington.”
He went on:
“I would often arrive after a long day’s work to find Prue and Michael at the kitchen table with something delicious to eat and something interesting to talk about. After supper we would arrange ourselves in front of the ageing television to watch the News at Ten and moan about the state of the world. These were simple but very happy evenings.”
Prue Skene died of a short illness in March 2025. She was 82. At the time, she had just completed her 8-year tenure as Chair of Cardboard Citizens, a UK-based theatre company and charity for people who experienced homelessness, inequity, and poverty.
Michael Pennington dead at 82
A year after Skene’s death, her longtime partner, Michael Pennington, passed away on May 10, 2026. He was 82.
He is survived by his son, Mark, from his marriage to Katharine.
Pennington’s most famous role is Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, the Imperial commander who supervised the building of the second Death Star in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. The movie was released in the year 1983. He was famous for his quotation:
“I assure you, Lord Vader. My men are working as fast as they can.”
Apart from the Return of the Jedi, Michael Pennington also appeared in The Wars of the Roses (1990-1991), Silent Witness (2002-2010), Inspector Lewis (2008), Endeavor (2017), and more.
Edited by Gladys Altamarino