Mark Interviews 1970+

Mark Hamill: One Minute Interview

How has the phenomenal success of STAR WARS changed your life, Mark?

I'm ordering $43 bottles of a champagne (Dom Perignon) I can't even pronounce!

Since director George Lucas cast you because he felt you were so like your screen character, Luke Skywalker, how do you feel about the role?

I remember being back in Africa, filming the first line I say in the movie, I'd said to myself, 'Remember, you have to go way up in this scene so that, in the middle of the movie, you can start to make your transition - from a wormy guy down to someone halfway human!' So, out comes this sing-song falsetto, 'But I was going into Toshi station to pick up some power converters!' Argh! It made me ill! I swear, I thought I was gonna throw up the first time I saw it. But I've seen it four times now and each time I like myself better. I like myself for about 30 percent of it. I think I fit in. I do...

The word is out in Hollywood that all the stars of STAR WARS were cast with a trilogy in mind. Is this true?

Yes, supposedly, the last one comes out in 1983, when Luke Skywalker definitely will have crow's feet. I'll be limping around, my landspeeder will have training wheels. They cast me as a kid... to grow into Luke, the man, right? But... this is IT, folks! This is as tall as I get! (5`7``) [laughs] I'm in big trouble...

After filming STAR WARS, it was rumoured that you were distraught over a prior commitment to play in a series for ABC (Eight Is Enough) and that it was during this time that you had your unfortunate car accident. Would you care to tell us about it?

I don't remember any of it. I don't even remember getting into the car. I woke up in County General. There's a guy moaning next to me and some intern says, 'We're going to take him next because he's in worse shape than you are and you're in pretty bad shape,' and he holds a mirror up to my face and... It looks like a raspberry pie. My nose was off. I didn't have a nose, it was just gone; later, they took cartilage from my ear to build it back up.

Was that the reason for the bandage at the premiere of STAR WARS?

Right! Kids came up and asked what happened. I said, 'A little trouble with the lightsaber in the fourth system!' They go, 'Wow! You gotta be careful, huh, Luke?'

Is it true that George Lucas had you do more dialogue even after the film was released?

The very night it opened, my phone rings at, like 10 o'clock. This voice says, 'Hiya, kid! You famous yet?' 'Who's this?' 'It's George. You famous yet? Think you can come in and loop a couple lines?' I say, 'George, it's opening night! All over town! Wake up, big guy!' He says, 'You don't understand. We're doing the monaural mix tonight. We're gonna clean up some of the dialogue. The monaural mix is gonna be even better than in stereo!' I mean, he is gonna fix up STAR WARS after it's already opened! [laughs]

Do you and George have a good working relationship?

He handed me my career on a silver platter. I've had a lot of exposure on TV, but feature films are where it's at. I don't think I could follow Luke up with a raunchy part, even if it were a powerful role in a strong drama. I think of myself as one of the sorcerer's apprentices. George is the magician and if I let him down in any way, I'd feel as if I were giving away the magician's magic!

Gossip Magazine, June 1978