Details of Lee's prequel character are still under wraps, but he is known to play a key part in the development of the plot of Episode II. And it's safe to assume that, judging by Lee's phenomenal body of work, his new Star Wars character will be another unforgettable creation from the man who first gained fame as Dracula and, at age 78, is still going strong with a role in not only the new Star Wars trilogy but also the upcoming three-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

Among Lee's most memorable performances are Rochefort in three Three Musketeers movies, Sherlock Holmes, classic James Bond villain Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun (Lee's cousin, author Ian Fleming, created Bond), and, of course, nearly every classic monster in the book for Britain's hit Hammer horror films of the 1950s and '60s: his breakthrough role in The Curse of Frankenstein (he was the monster to Cushing's mad doctor); the title role in The Mummy; double duty as Jekyll and Hyde; and, most famously, his solitary yet deadly Count Dracula, whom he portrayed more than any other actor, beginning with 1958's Horror of Dracula, which pitted him against Cushing as Van Helsing, and lasting until 1974 with The Satanic Rites of Dracula.

But while Dracula put Lee on the map after a distinguished career in the British Royal Air Force and a string of bit parts in movies and television, the vampire also threatened to suck the blood out of Lee's career and overshadow his considerable talents. To escape type-casting, the actor sought out varied roles in diverse projects, including the cult classic suspense film The Wicker Man, A Tale of Two Cities, Steven Spielberg's comedy 1941, and the acclaimed sequel Gremlins 2. An accomplished singer who has records out in England, Lee also appeared on popular television shows like The Avengers, Charlie's Angels -- and Lucasfilm's Young Indiana Jones Chronicles in 1992. His autobiography, Tall, Dark, and Gruesome, was published in 1994, the same year he won a London Film Critics Lifetime Achievement Award.

Still, with over 250 credits to his name, Christopher Lee's career is suddenly hotter than ever. After an appearance last year in Tim Burton's blockbuster Sleepy Hollow (which also featured Star Wars stars Ian McDiarmid and Ray Park), Lee headed for New Zealand to play the wizard Saruman the White in the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy by director Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures, Dead Alive, The Frighteners), and barely made it home before turning around to join the Episode II set in Australia.

The Insider caught up with Lee just as his work on Episode II was beginning. The actor was articulate, generous with his time, and happy to talk about his memories of Peter Cushing, his classic roles, and The Lord of the Rings. But first we wanted to know more about the "charismatic separatist" he plays in Star Wars.

Episode II co-writer Jonathan Hales has referred to your character in Episode II as "The Perfect Gentleman."

Ah, how nice -- I will do my best to live up to that.

Your character has been enigmatically described as "A Charismatic Separatist." Can you elaborate a little bit on that?

I am a little amused at the description they gave me -- well, they're entitled to write that I'm full of charisma. It will be more than just another part, obviously -- it will be another arrow in my quiver. I'm looking forward to it enormously. But when people ask me whom I'm playing, I am simply saying to them, "I have signed a confidentiality agreement. I'm afraid I cannot tell you this. If you want more information, you must get onto Lucasfilm." And that will be my answer every single time.

I was the repository of many secrets during World War II, and if I talked, people died. I was in special forces intelligence, and I'm not prepared to say much more than that. I never have been. I signed the Official Secrets Act, which is for life. What I'm getting at is that I can keep a secret, and if I'm asked not to say anything, I don't. Ever.

Having kept secrets during the war with lives at stake, how does all the secrecy surrounding movies these days strike you?

I think it's very valid, because if you reveal what characters look like or how they behave or what they are, particularly in this kind of story, I think it will spoil it. It would take away the surprise element, which is enormously important, particularly with the public today. They will be going by the millions to see it, and they've still got to be surprised, which is one of the most important elements of any motion picture. You've got to surprise people with something they don't expect. I've tried to do that as an actor throughout my entire career, to do something unexpected, unconventional. And I'll continue to do so as long as I'm asked to do movies.

There doesn't seem to be any shortage of offers.

It's a strange thing, but after 53 years in the film industry and something in the region of 250 credits, I'm now actually turning down more work than I've ever been offered in my whole career. I'm busier than I've ever been, and I'm very grateful, because there are not many people at my age who are as busy as I am. For that, I'm extremely grateful. I'm delighted that I'll be working in Episode II. I mean, after The Lord of the Rings, plus Sleepy Hollow -- I'm lucky, certainly.