Mark Hamill admits he ‘downplayed’ his iconic role as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars after being snubbed from high calibre films

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It might be unexpected for some to learn that despite portraying an iconic character in science fiction history, Mark Hamill was known for understating or minimizing his significance in the Star Wars trilogy.

In a recent interview, the actor, who’s now 73 years old and well-recognized for portraying Luke Skywalker in the iconic film series, discussed how being linked to that franchise may have prevented him from landing certain prestigious acting roles.

In an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, I found myself reminiscing about my past and admitted that I’d made an effort to downplay my part in the original Star Wars trilogy during the 1990s as I navigated a career path beyond the galaxy far, far away.

Known for his role, he acted side by side with Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher in the original Star Wars trilogy by George Lucas, from 1977 to 1983.

Mark mentioned he attempted to audition for the main role in the Amadeus film version, following his stage performance success. However, director Milos Forman responded dismissively: “I’m sorry, but the character of Luke Skywalker isn’t meant to portray Mozart.

Afterward, he started to downplay his involvement with Star Wars in his theater accolades, but before that, his co-star Carrie gave him a firm piece of advice. She said, “Snap out of it! You’re Luke Skywalker; I’m Princess Leia. Own it.

Mark pointed out that it wasn’t him who shone brightly, but rather the car. He also praised Harrison as a fantastic actor.

When, during our testing sessions, we didn’t possess the entire Star Wars script, it appeared to me that he was the main character while I seemed to be playing the role of a bothersome companion.

As a die-hard admirer, I’d excitedly exclaim to others, “Did you hear Harrison got nominated for an Oscar for… [whatever the achievement was]?!” My immediate response would be, “He absolutely deserves it! I mean, his talent is something I could only dream of mastering, let alone attempting myself.

Mark commented that he was now comfortable being referred to as an ordinary worker, reminiscing about his childhood when he admired character actors on The Twilight Zone and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He used to think, “I really like that person. They’re always excellent. They appear frequently in various roles. What’s their name?” It turns out, it was him.

During the upcoming summer season, Mark will appear in two movies based on works by Stephen King. One of these films is a feel-good apocalyptic story titled “The Life of Chuck,” while the other is the intense dystopian horror named “The Long Walk.

In the initial Star Wars series, Hamill played the role of Luke Skywalker, encompassing the films from 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V) and 1983’s The Return of the Jedi (Episode VI).

He then reprised the role again in 2015’s the Force Awakens. 

In the 2017 movie “The Last Jedi,” the character Luke Skywalker perishes and unites with the Force. In the 2019 film “The Rise of Skywalker,” we see what seems to be his last appearance as a spirit, not physically but as Luke’s ghost-like essence.

Previously, Hamill mentioned that wrapping up the Skywalker saga opened up possibilities for new adventures within the realm of Star Wars.

‘It was a whole new era for them,’ the action star explained on Sunday Today.

George Lucas bestowed upon them an extraordinary backdrop, a whole galaxy for exploration. This cosmic setting allows for genres such as westerns, mysteries, comedies, and even detective stories, all falling under the umbrella of Star Wars, according to him.

‘And they’re doing so well’ he added. ‘I love Rogue One, Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett.’

In both “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” Hamill’s character, Luke Skywalker, briefly appeared thanks to techniques like de-aging and motion capture.

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2025-08-17 14:36