Mark Hamill is, of course, best known for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies. He has been an iconic face of Star Wars for almost fifty years. However, it apparently took some coaxing for him to fully embrace that role, coming from none other than Princess Leia herself, the late Carrie Fisher.
Mark Hamill “Also Known for a Series of Popular Space Movies”
In an NPR interview, Hamill talked about how it was difficult to find roles after playing Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy. He said that when he was starring in a Broadway show, he wanted to distance himself from Star Wars. He said, “In the Playbill, in my bio, I listed all my theater credits, and at the end said, ‘He’s also known for a series of popular space movies.'” However, his co-star Carrie Fisher found out, and she helped him see the light.
Carrie Fisher: “You’re Luke Skywalker!”
As Hamill recalled, “She goes, ‘What’s the deal? … Get over yourself. You’re Luke Skywalker, I’m Princess Leia. Embrace it … And I kind of saw what she meant.” Indeed, Hamill has embraced his most iconic role for decades, although he was hesitant to return for the sequel trilogy. In the interview, he discussed how his other co-star Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo, inspired him to return.
My initial reaction is that we shouldn’t do it. I mean, you can never go home again. And I was sure, I said, Harrison [Ford]’s not gonna do it. He’s got so much going on and he gets frustrated when those movies are brought up so often. So I said I know he’s not going to do it. But when I read in the press that he’d signed to do I thought, Oh my God, I’ve just been drafted. Because if I say no and Harrison and Carrie come back. I’ll be the most hated man in nerddom. So I thought, maybe it’s fate. Maybe I should go back. So I did.
Will Mark Hamill Play Luke Skywalker Again?
Hamill recently stated that he will not play Luke Skywalker again. While there is always a possibility that he could change his mind, he is most likely finished with the role. However, even if we have seen the last of Luke Skywalker, Hamill will continue to embrace his iconic status for the rest of his life, and we might have the late great Carrie Fisher to thank for that.
