Working for Darth Vader’s Empire or Kylo Ren’s First Order may not be the best job in the “Star Wars” universe, but it’s certainly a position that many have coveted over the years. In fact, being a stormtrooper has become an easy way to sneak in some major celebrity cameos.
Stormtroopers have had some pretty famous people under the helmets over the years, from beloved actors, to pop stars, to literal royalty. Not all of them made the final cut, but if you search hard enough, you might find some deleted scenes starring your favorites.
Granted, those cameos are pretty hard to spot. Given the nature of stormtroopers, you mostly just have to have extra keen ears and pick out famous voices, rather than famous faces. And that’s if they even get to speak. Of course, it gets a bit hard to remember and keep track of them all, so we went ahead and did it for you.
Here is every celebrity that’s made a “Star Wars” cameo — or at least attempted to — as a stormtrooper.
Daniel Craig — Daniel Craig may be best known as James Bond, but he did manage to sneak into another major franchise. He even got some lines. He played the stormtrooper that was influenced by Rey when she truly used the force for the first time in “The Force Awakens.”
Prince Harry — The British monarchy doesn’t have stormtroopers, thankfully, but that didn’t stop Prince Harry from chasing his dreams. In 2016, he filmed a cameo as a stormtrooper for “The Last Jedi,” but it was ultimately cut from the final product. That said, the scene did emerge online in 2018, and was part of the deleted scenes on the DVD release of the movie.
Prince William — Prince William joined his brother in his stormtrooping adventures, but alas, because they filmed their scene together, he was also cut from the film. According to the Daily Mail at the time, the royals were too tall for an average stormtrooper, and that’s why they were cut. Somewhere in the distance, Princess Leia laughs at the irony.
Jason Sudeikis — Jason Sudeikis is arguably one of the easiest stormtroopers to spot, as any SNL fan would recognize his voice. His appearance didn’t come in the “Star Wars” films though. Sudeikis appeared in the first season finale of “The Mandalorian” over on Disney+.
Ed Sheeran — Ed Sheeran is one of the few people who got two cameos in one “Star Wars” movie. Not only did he lend his body to a stormtrooper uniform in “The Rise of Skywalker,” but he also played an alien member of the Resistance. He did not speak either time.
Stephen Colbert — Colbert himself never confirmed or denied if he was a stormtrooper in “Star Wars,” but according to reports, he did make it into “The Rise of Skywalker.” Like Ed Sheeran, he did not get any lines.
Ben Schwartz — Surprisingly (but deservingly), Ben Schwartz also has played two roles in one “Star Wars” film. Not only did he help voice BB-8, he also played a stormtrooper in “The Force Awakens.” Schwartz later told James Corden that it was “uncomfortable, but the coolest thing.”
Karl Urban — Though he only got three words to say, Karl Urban did get a line as a stormtrooper. He appeared in “The Rise of Skywalker,” simply saying “Knights of Ren” as Kylo and his squad walked past. That puts Urban in two major franchises, having appeared over in the MCU as well.
Adam Pally — Because stormtroopers tend to travel with a buddy, Jason Sudeikis’s cameo in “The Mandalorian” wasn’t a solo effort. He was paired up with Adam Pally in the episode. And true to stormtrooper form, they were terrible shots.
Tom Hardy — “The Last Jedi” had the potential to be stacked in terms of stormtrooper cameos, as Tom Hardy also filmed an appearance alongside Prince William and Prince Harry. But sadly, his scene was cut too. He played a stormtrooper who congratulated Finn on getting a promotion, not realizing he had turned against the First Order and was wearing a disguise. Good news is, Hardy’s scene — complete with a southern accent — can be found online.
Kevin Smith — If you watch and listen closely enough, you’ll spot Kevin Smith twice in the sequel trilogy. But he only played a stormtrooper once. It was back in “The Force Awakens” — on his second round with JJ Abrams, Smith played a droid in “The Rise of Skywalker.”
Michael Giacchino — John Williams may be the composer most associated with “Star Wars,” but Michael Giacchino also lent his skills to the franchise. He composed the score for “Rogue One” and later appeared as a stormtrooper in “The Force Awakens.” He designated FN-3181, and was one of the troopers that took Poe prisoner in the film.
