Actor Mark Hamill, famously known for his role in 'Star Wars', previously minimized his association with the iconic franchise. However, recently, he has warmly welcomed and celebrated his 'Star Wars' history.
Looking back, Mark Hamill still remembers the thrill of reading the script that changed his life forever – George Lucas' legendary 1977 film, Star Wars.
"It was more like a dream than a typical science fiction script," Hamill shares about the script. "It wasn't just serious and antiseptic; it was funny as hell." With this memorable role, he landed the iconic part of Luke Skywalker, one of the most iconic heroes in film history.
Despite the overwhelming success of the Star Wars films, Hamill initially struggled to shed his role. When he ventured into projects outside the galaxy, he purposefully understated his Star Wars identity, particularly during his run on Broadway. As he recounts, "I listed all my theater credits and simply noted that I was also known for a popular series of space movies."
His former co-star, Carrie Fisher, caught on to his evasiveness and offered blunt advice. "She goes, 'What's the deal? ... Get over yourself. You're Luke Skywalker, I'm Princess Leia. Embrace it,'" Hamill recalls. Encouraged by her words, he began to embrace his bigger-than-life status.
Apart from his epic Star Wars journey, Hamill also spent three decades voicing the infamous Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. Now, he's starring in The Life of Chuck, an adaptation of a Stephen King novella. Refusing to settle for conventional descriptions, Hamill simply calls the film "indescribable."
"I'd tell people to just go," Hamill advises. "Don't read reviews. Discover it for yourself because there are elements that'll make you think of Stephen King, but they're not the main focus of the picture."
When it comes to auditioning for not one – but two – iconic roles on the same day, the cattle call was a game-changer for Hamill. "There was no script, you just met with Brian De Palma [who was] casting Carrie, and sitting right next to him was George [Lucas] who was casting Star Wars," he explains.
However, the acting challenges weren't just limited to screen tests and script-less meetings. In Star Wars, Hamill had to perform alongside puppets, one of which was the beloved and formidable Yoda. "Frank Oz made Yoda come to life in such a way that I totally believed he was real," Hamill shares.
But perhaps the most difficult aspect of portraying Luke Skywalker was the isolation he felt during filming, as he explained in the original trilogy, there were times when he was the only human actor on set, surrounded by puppets, lizards, and snakes.
Voice acting quickly became a savior for Hamill after Star Wars. "Voiceover saved my life," he confesses. "It's the ultimate job. You don't have to learn lines or worry about how you look. And the community of voiceover artists are so welcoming."
When it came to returning for the new Star Wars films, Hamill initially felt hesitant. "My initial reaction was that we shouldn't do it. I thought, you can never go home again," he admits. But eventually, he chose to reprise the role, grateful for the opportunity to embrace Luke Skywalker once more.
Hamill's venture into theater, not wanting to emphasize his Star Wars identity, mentioned his theater credits and described his movies as a "pop-ular series of space movies." As time passed, he started to delve into other roles such as voice acting for sci-fi shows like Batman: The Animated Series and The Life of Chuck, which he describes as an "indescribable" adaptation of a Stephen King novella.
