IconicLuke Skywalkeractor Mark Hamill has shared his experience auditioning forStar Wars, and it’s a perfect reminder that, at first, so much was unknown about the franchise that would eventually become a major phenomenon.A New Hopewas the very first addition toStar Warsmovies and TV shows, but at that point, it was only calledStar Wars. Undoubtedly, part of this initial title for the movie was due to uncertainty aboutStar Wars’future—that is, whether it would have a future at all.
The newness and uncertainty ofStar Wars’early days was evident inMark Hamill’s recent revelation that, when he first auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker, he had no idea who George Lucas was. In an interview on thePolitickin' with Gavin Newsom, Marshawn Lynch, and Doug Hendricksonpodcast, Hamill shared:
Then, some friend of mine said, ‘Did you hear about this movie that George Lucas is doing, Star Wars?’ It’s Robert England who plays Freddy Krueger. To this day, even in his book he said, if it weren’t for me, Mark would have never [got it]. I don’t want to burst his bubble. But when I called my agent, she said, ‘Oh, yeah, you have an appointment, you know, ten days from now.’
But the weird thing was when we went in. It was a meet and greet with Brian DePalma, who was casting Carrie the King horror film, and George, and you know it’s just like tell us a little about yourself, and blah blah blah. And so, five minutes over I went out to it was a cattle call. You know, there’s fifty guys there, you know, Han Solo types and Luke types. And I said to one of the actors, ‘Who was Brian DePalma’s assistant in there, the guy with the beard that didn’t say a word?’ They said, ‘You idiot, that was George Lucas.’ I said, ‘Oh, he didn’t say anything.’ Brian talked.
This hilarious update from Mark Hamill really does prove that,whileStar Warsmight be one of the biggest franchises in the world now, its origins were quite different.
Even Mark Hamill Didn’t Realize How Big Star Wars Could Be
Initially, No One Was Sure Whether Star Wars Would Find Success
Many ofStar Wars’original trilogy actorshave spoken about how they had no idea how massiveStar Warswould become when they first took the role. This makes sense, as it’s impossible to completely predict the success of a show or movie.It’s especially difficult to know what will become a cultural phenomenon, particularly to the degreeStar Warshas. Certainly, at first, there were plenty of doubts about how well this movie would land with audiences.
Mark Hamill spoke about that in his interview on the podcast as well, revealing that he initially wasn’t sure how serious a projectStar Warswas. Hamill explained:
“I said to Harrison, who I tested with, I said ‘You were in American Graffiti. You know, George, is this like a comedy or a send up, like a spoof or… it just it can’t be serious, right?’ He said, ‘Hey, you know whatever, let’s just get it done.'”
It may be difficult to get into the headspace of not knowing all thatStar Warswould inevitably become, but looking atA New Hopealone, Hamill’s perception makes sense. So much of that firstStar Warsmovie was world-building, and concepts like the Jedi, the Force, and lightsabers didn’t have the cultural resonance they do now. At the time, it would have been fair to see the script forA New Hope(thenStar Wars) and perceive it as an odd—maybe even parody—space movie.
10 Ways Star Wars Has Totally Retconned A New Hope In The Last 47 Years
Star Wars canon is ever-changing, and A New Hope has been totally changed over the last 47 years… including by the legendary George Lucas himself!
Mark Hamill Was Definitely The Right Choice For Luke Skywalker
It’s Difficult To Imagine Anyone Else Playing This Role
Of course, plenty has changed in the nearly 50 years since. Luke Skywalker is now firmly cemented as one ofStar Wars’best characters, and Hamill as one ofStar Wars’most beloved actors. While Hamill may have seen somewhere in the ballpark of 50 other men in the room to audition,it’s incredibly difficult to imagine anyone but Mark Hamill in the role of Luke Skywalker.
This is true not only because Hamill has been the face of the character for generations but also because he continues to show love for Luke and the franchise. Hamill could have taken the role and then moved on to other projects, leavingStar Warsin the past, but while he has been in myriad shows and movies over the years, he still attends conventions, speaks aboutStar Wars,and even reprised his role as Luke Skywalker. Thankfully, despite not knowing who George Lucas was in the room, Mark Hamill landed the role ofLuke Skywalker, shapingStar Warsforever.
Source:Politickin’ with Gavin Newsom, Marshawn Lynch, and Doug Hendrickson
