Throughout his 40-plus year career, Mark Hamill has played many roles in films, TV and animated series, but the most iconic one is that of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films. Being well-known for one character for your whole career can prove frustrating for some, but in an interview with StarWars.com, the actor seems proud.
“People say, ‘Are you worried that you’re only going to be remembered for Luke Skywalker?’ I say, ‘Listen, for someone who didn’t expect to be remembered for anything, it’s a win-win,’” Hamill revealed.
Fans also know him from his voice for the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series.
“I mean, that’s probably why I get such delight being accepted in the role of the Joker because I’ve been a Batman fan all my life,” Hamill notes. “I said, ‘Gee, I wish I could do a villain that’s never been done on the TV series or the movies.’ Joker seemed like almost too much of responsibility. But again, I love challenges, I love doing things I’ve never done before, and to have a character that’s so opposed to what I’m known for, it just gives me great, great joy.”
The actor’s vocal performance has brought similar connections between a character and the fans that he created with Skywalker.
“Comic book fans tell me, ‘When I read the comic books now, I hear your voice,'” Hamill reveals.
He continues, “That, to me, is a reward that just never stops giving. It’s the fact that people feel they know you, they feel you’re a part of the family. They relay all these stories about, ‘I met my wife on the line for Empire, and we had a child by the time of Return of the Jedi, and we named him Luke.’ It’s really moving.”
The actor then went on to note that, without his fans, he may not be remembered for anything.
“I don’t take it for granted, and that’s why I love the fans so much. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now,” Hamill confesses.
We will see more of Luke Skywalker when The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15.
