Which actor played C-3PO in the Star Wars films?

Anthony Daniels played C-3PO in the Star Wars films. He performed both the golden protocol droid’s physical role and voice in nearly every film appearance, making C-3PO one of the most recognizable characters in the franchise.

Daniels initially hesitated to take the part because he did not want to play a robotic character. He changed his mind after seeing Ralph McQuarrie’s early concept art, which gave C-3PO a vulnerable, expressive quality. The costume was physically demanding, especially during filming in hot desert locations.

In The Phantom Menace, C-3PO was partly operated as a puppet by Michael Lynch, while Daniels supplied the voice. Daniels also appeared as C-3PO in the original trilogy, the prequel and sequel trilogies, Rogue One, and the animated film The Clone Wars. A common mix-up is confusing him with Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2, or Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca.