10 Actors Who Appeared In Star Wars And Doctor Who
6. David Prowse
Though James Earl Jones receives a ton of credit for making Darth Vader one of the greatest villains in movie history (and rightfully so), it's important not to forget the man behind the mask.
The late David Prowse was the man who physically played Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, with the 6ft6in bodybuilder putting his towering frame to good use. "David brought a physicality to Darth Vader that was essential for the character", said George Lucas, shortly after Prowse's death in late 2020. "He made Vader leap off the page and on to the big screen."
Five years before his debut in a galaxy far, far away, Prowse's height again proved the perfect match for a villain role when the Doctor Who team was searching for an actor to portray the Minotaur in the Third Doctor serial The Time Monster.
As is the case with many classic Doctor Who baddies, the makeup and effects don't exactly hold up to modern standards here (this "Minotaur" is clearly just a half-naked dude with a Halloween mask on), but Prowse's bulging muscles did at least make the character feel intimidating at points.