Mark Interviews 2000+

Chat: Mark Hamill

Actor, Producer, Director, Author

After bringing balance to the Force, Mark Hamill has expanded his universe. He is starring on Broadway in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and in the new film Reeseville, premiering Thursday at the Milwaukee International Film Festival. Hamill also is directing Comic Book: The Movie, to be released by Miramax.

I know this is reaching back a ways, but your appearance on The Muppet Show is my favorite! Jim Henson and Frank Oz are my heroes. What was it like working with them?

Again, like The Simpsons - iconic status with me. I have been watching them since they were on the Ed Sullivan show. And I got a lifelong friend, Richard Hunt, from them who has since passed away. He became one of the best friends my family has ever had. And we all miss him every day.

Did the late Sir Alec Guinness really slap you for calling him just "Alec"?

He playfully corrected me when I called him Sir Alec after knowing him about a week. He patted my face twice and then mock slapped me. Firmly. Just to get my attention. And he said, "I want to be known by my name, not my accolade." And that was him telling me to stop calling him "Sir". I really want to get that clear because like when you play the game telephone, all these years later, the story is that he slapped me when I didn't call him Sir Alec or calling him just Alec. It was the absolute reverse of how gracious and wonderful a man he was. I miss him every day. I wish he could come see my play. I used to see his plays on the West End. He was very loyal. People should know that. People always ask if all of us are still friends. Well, no, life goes on. Time and circumstances change, but he always impressed upon me that it was important. He gave me an example of someone who had hurt his feelings by totally ignoring him in their success when he had really given them their first break. And I remembered that, so every time I was in England, I would at least give him a phone call. In fact, the last time I had slipped over the pond to do promotion for Wing Commander, he saw that I did not call him. He was not well and had been in the hospital for his eye. His last letter contained the lines, "Don't dare ever come to my country again without contacting me." It really touched me. That was the one time that I hadn't contacted him. He was absolutely right and I regret having done so.

Can you tell us a bit about your project The Wrong Coast?

On January 14 at 10 P.M. on AMC will be the premiere of The Wrong Coast - 2 original 1/2 hours that night. Then on Jan. 21, 1 episode and so on. It is AMC's first original animated series. Really fun for the whole family.

What do you think of the new STAR WARS movies? Do you think Lucas has gotten carried away with the CG special effects?
I've always said they are amazing and I'll just say that without going into much more detail. The spotlight really should belong to them now. They are among the most popular movies financially, so he must be doing something right.

Do you ever have issues about your true identity (Luke vs. Mark)?

Actors always have this chameleon like existence. That's one of the reasons I don't really like to talk about my personal life. It's better if people don't know me. It's better if I remain a cypher, then they're more willing to accept you in a given role.

What drew you to the script for Reeseville?

I liked that it wasn't formulaic. It was reminiscent of those old Warner Brothers crime melodramas where a violent crime is hushed up and covered up by a small town. It was just intriguing. I mean, usually, you can tell what's going to happen in the first 10 pages. Because I didn't and because they asked me, I was happy to go and be a part of it.

You have a diverse background in the entertainment industry. What area do you enjoy the most?

Whatever I am doing at the current time which is the truth.

Do you plan on going to Celebration 3 in 2005?

No, I actually have another commitment which will preclude me from being there. It's good, I love when I have work lined up.

What do you do to prepare for a role?

In Six Dance Lessons, playing a dance instructor, I have to warm up my body and my voice. We already talked about warming up vocally. Dancing is just waking up all of your leg muscles, ankles, limbering up. I usually throw on mid-60s pop to warm up in my dressing room. Out of Our Heads by the Rolling Stones is my favorite because there is that whole run of songs. Mercy, Mercy, Hitchhike - it's a great album. It's fun. It's all part of why I'm so lucky to be in the fantasy business.

If you had to choose one graphic novelist to read, would you choose Brian Michael Bendis, Neil Gaiman, or Frank Miller?

Gee, that's hard. I really like Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller.

How did you get the part of the Joker in Batman, the cartoon show?

They were auditioning having to replace an actor. They had 6 episodes finished and the one that has the tug boat in it and the clown robot in the first season and there was a scene that had to be dubbed. From the look he had, I came up with the voice. Andrea Romano said it was the laugh that cinched it.

Who is your favorite bad guy, the Joker or Darth Vader? :)

Joker, of course. I thought Darth Vader was a brilliant villain, but I saw him from a different point of view - as a young adult in something I was in. Joker struck me right when I was like 6.

What has your experience been like of viewing the Prequels? Of seeing actors you've never met play your parents and Obi-Wan? Does it change your perception at all of your work with characters who appear in the prequels, such as Anakin, Palpatine, and Obi-Wan?

With a great distance and time between ours and the current films, there is a detachment to them.

Have you heard of a possibility that there will be a STAR WARS sequel after the current trilogy is finished? If so, have you been approached to reprise your role as Luke Skywalker?

No. These are the last in the series according to George, that's it. And part 3 of the first trilogy is finished. It's in the post production stage. It will come out next year or the year after (I forget). I think he takes 2 years now. He used to do it in a year, but now he's the studio - he can do what he wants. Which is amazing. He's got unprecedented autonomy. That's it. They're not going to do any more. And I think even if they were, they would be all new characters, but I don't know. I forget now what he told me.

Do you have an address that we can send you stuff so you can sign them?

I think it is PO BOX 1036 Malibu, California 90265. However, I'd like to just say at the present time, I can't see signing STAR WARS memorabilia given the gigantic fraud going on in the marketplace with fake signatures coming with fake certificates of authenticity. So, I am refraining from signing anything STAR WARS. I will sign anything else, though. If people can't accept that, sorry. If they're a real fan and want my signature, send something else. I'm sorry it has to be that way, but it's just me striking out against fraudulent dealers. Hopefully, in support of the fans.

I remember sneaking in to see Corvette Summer when it first came out. It has always remained one of my favorite films. I read recently about your work on Broadway, and wondered how that's going for you. Is it more challenging than working with a guy in a Wookiee suit?

The whole experience is packed into two hours, in real time. You're hand crafting a product for the audience that is present that night. So, in that sense, yes, but it's exhilarating. No, it's like playing live. Why do the Rolling Stones continue to tour? It can't be the money or the fame. It's because they love to play. It's about what they get back from the audience.

Hey Mark, best of luck for Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks, I've seen the play in our country and the critics loved it... I don't understand what's going on in N.Y. ...will you hold out until February cause that's when I'll go to New York?

Are you in Germany? There was a production in Germany. It is a tricky thing. It's like Butterflies Are Free. Audiences love it. The critics don't think it's a great play. I'm not here to judge art. I just know give the people what they want and if we can survive not being the critic's darling, we certainly will try. And the producers have shown a vote of confidence by not posting a closing notice so far. Like, I say, it's gotta be word of mouth for people to come. We're usually over 50 %, but we've got to get into the 80s or 90s to survive. And it will have to come from word of mouth because the people that come even after the reviews saying, "I can't believe the critics." If you believe what's in the newspapers, you would believe the audience just sat there - didn't laugh, didn't cry, didn't give a standing ovation. They don't put that in the paper. They damned us with the word "sitcom." It's a good sitcom. I love sitcoms. What does that mean? It's a comedy of situations. They are using it dismissively, but let me tell you, I'm there every night and people are roaring with laughter. It's a funny, caustic, unexpectedly poignaint piece peformed by yours truly and a real show business legend, Polly Bergen.

How do you mentally prepare yourself before doing voice-overs for your legendary portrayal of the Joker?

Joker was definately a 1/2 hour warm up or longer. I start in the shower just vocally warming up like I do now in Six Dance Lessons. You want to stretch and get up to your highs, try out your falsetto, just limber up your voice and go the various places - resonate in your chest. A voice is like an engine, you don't just want to hurt the engine by trying to do something that will damage you.

Of all the cartoon characters you have done voices for over the years, who was your favorite?

Everyone would think I would say Joker, I loved the Joker. It is one of the best parts I've ever had, but I would have to say my very favorite is Larry 3000 on Time Squad. It is very much reminiscent of Mr. Peabody and Sherman in that we go to various historical characters to make sure that we don't disturb the space-time continuum.

You were great in Jay & Silent Bob. Are you considering doing more bigger comedic roles?

Yes. Check out my character, speaking of Wisconsin, I play a high school teacher from Wisconsin, Donald Swan, and he's an expert on the Golden Age of comics who is hired to be the technical advisor on a big budget Hollywood film in Comic Book: The Movie. It's my favorite kind of comedy. It's straight faced character, but there's a brilliant array of talents starting with Jess Harnell, Billy West, Roger Rose, Lori Alan. I hired a bumper crop of voice over artists - Debi Berry, Rob Paulson, Jim Cummings. The movie is coming out in the second week of January 2004. Definately the first month of the new year, so save your Christmas money. It is a 2-DVD set from Miramax. I am just hopping with pride because everybody came through for me in this experimental piece. We knew the story, but we made up the lines as we went along. It's being described as Spinal Tap for comic book geeks. I mean that in the most genuine sense as I am a self-proclaimed comic book nerd. I disguise it well in mixed company, but watch out if I get around people of my kind. That's what is so funny. Donald Swan is like that, too. He is in a world of people that really don't care.

Tell us all about playing yourself on an episode of The Simpsons. Is it hard to poke fun at yourself and some of your past projects like that?

I love it. You know, I have a sense of humor. I try to find everything funny. It usually is. One of the joys of doing a Broadway show is that your commitment is completely 24-hours a day devoted to a project that makes you shield out everything. You're doing out of town tryouts, the playwright's changing, your co-star changes, the production gets shut down, it starts up again. And that with Comic Book: The Movie and The Wrong Coast. I was spread so thin, I was like "Arnold Schwarzenegger is governor? When did that happen? I'm a New Yorker now." And everyone laughed at me.

So who is your favorite super hero or action star?

I'd have to say Superman because he was my first favorite. Followed closely by Batman, like a hundred million other kids. They were the Rolling Stones and Beatles of their day. The Stones being the Batman and a little darker, anti-establishment. I like many, especially the ones that are more feeble. That's why Commander Courage and Liberty Lad are so poignant. They are so closely tied to World War II that they didn't really age gracefully and that's funny and sad at the same time. I'm talking the second tier, like Green Arrow.

What is your favorite film(s) of the last 10 years?

Fargo, A Hard Day's Night, even though it was older than 10 years. If I ever get depressed, I always put that on and it cheers me up.

How would Luke Skywalker deal with the war on terror?

Spiritually, I would hope. I always imagined he'd wind up (having found out that the only girl he'd ever had a crush on was his sister) so shocked he would go follow the Obi-Wan celibacy route. Maybe go meditate in the desert somewhere.

If you never worked another day in your life, would you be able to live off of your STAR WARS residual checks?

Yes, in a paper box in an alley somewhere.

What is your Wisconsin connection? Do you have relatives here?

Yes, my sister Terry Cornelius, her husband and my newphew and niece. My other sister lived there at various times because they had a business there. I would visit enough so that I discovered I have a midwest connection. That was important to me being the son of a Navy career officer because I only saw the coast... to coast, to coast, to coast. Pennsylvania to California to Virginia to Japan to Virginia, again - 3 times. And then a couple of places I don't remember. Oakland, where I was born. I don't remember it, even though they gave me the key to the city a couple of years ago. It was a very, very big honor for me. God knows, I feel like I wish I had a home town and I admire people who grew up all in one place. I was one of like 60 people who went to get the key to the city on an arts day. They were all just wonderfully artistic types - sculptors, authors. It was very nice.

Mark, I recently saw an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which Larry David meets with Jason Alexander to discuss Jason's frustrations in finding other roles as a result of everyone thinking of him as George from Seinfeld. Do you think that there was ultimately a similar downside to being such an iconoclastic character as Luke Skywalker?

Yes, my solution is to appear on Curb Your Enthusiasm. So anybody that knows Larry David. He's actually a Crossroad parent. His child goes to the same school that my children go to, but I restrain myself and never get pushy at PTA meetings. I want to, but I just don't think that's fair. Having said that, I'd like to shamelessly beg for a role on what I think is the funniest show on television. Although, that new Norm McDonald show, Stan Hooper, just fractured me. It's like an energized Newhart. I thought it was the funniest pilot I've seen so far.

Dude, Mark Hamill you're awesome! Are you still planning on transforming your Black Pearl comic book into a movie?

Yes, indeed. I have been working on that now for almost 15 years which is scary. But, maybe with the success of Comic Book : The Movie somebody will give me another chance. It turned out great. That comic book was not designed to be a gigantic studio picture rather an edgy, independent film. We are rewriting it under the name Dark Diamond for reasons I don't care to go into. Otherwise I might gnash my teeth and say things I might regret.

Mr. Hamill, what can I say? I feel as though I grew up with you, you are truly a legend for my generation. That said, seeing as how you have an extensive body of work, do you ever feel your non STAR WARS work gets overshadowed? If so is there any resentment?

You know, these aren't really yes and no questions. If you're focused, then something that you did that long ago doesn't really appear on your radar screen if you look at the big picture, I guess. I've been lucky to be able to do so many fun projects that I have a passion for, be it video games, cartoons or producing my new animated series, The Wrong Coast, which I co-created and performed the host of this ersatz Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Showbiz Today type parody. It's an entertainment show where we show clips from movies and TV. That combined with directing my first film, Comic Book: The Movie for which I created Golden Age comic book characters Commander Courage and Liberty Lad and their modern day counterpoints Codename Courage and Liberty Lass. It's just been 3 of the most creative years for me personally. And I really have sort of a warm nostalgia for those movies. They're children's classics like Lassie or Wizard of Oz (without the cool tunes). So, no in context it's actually kind of gratifying.

Do you ever get jealous of the success of Harrison Ford? You were the star of the STAR WARS movies, yet he seemed to parlay that into becoming one of the most prominent actors of the last two decades.

No, but I've always thought jealousy had a romantic angle to it. I'm grateful for what I have.

Hi, Mr. Hamill. I still love the STAR WARS trilogy. Don't know that they're making anything better these days. I'm a prospective screenwriter. What's the most important thing for me to sell a screenplay?

An original idea - done in an original way. I like character driven pieces. I become jaded to special effects just because of video games.

Aren't you a little short for a Stormtrooper?

That depends on the standard stormtrooper height, but I apparently don't meet the requirements.

Which aspect of theater appeals to you the most? Which did you have the most fun doing?

The live audience is the most exciting element. In musical terms they're the rhythm section, they tell you what they like and don't like and really become the unlisted cast member. The most fun I've ever had is this play - Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks - with Polly Bergen who is so much fun.

Do you think you will be in the next Batman films? (cameo or more)

No.

Would you be involved in any way in the Original Trilogy STAR WARS DVDs?

No.

How did Kevin Smith convince you to appear in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back?

By being Kevin Smith. I'm a huge fan.

If only for one day, do you wish you could strangle every wiseass who tells you "May the Force be With You" without going to jail?

No, they don't really say that to me. If they do, that doesn't make me unhappy.

How did you enjoy playing Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls?

The Simpsons was a joy from start to finish. It was a dream come true job. That would be a good job for real. That certainly influenced my son's name Nathan.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 6, 2003