Star Wars‘ Mark Hamill is a legend in Hollywood. The world knows him as the hero from a galaxy far away, the powerful Jedi, Luke Skywalker. Ever since he appeared in the first Star Wars movie in 1977, he has become an iconic figure in the entertainment industry.
From the original Star Wars trilogy to memorable voice-over projects like Batman: The Animated Series, Mark Hamill certainly has a rich portfolio of legendary movies, TV shows, and guest appearances. He’s incredibly talented, witty, and honest; that’s why the fans adore him. Here are ten things you didn’t know about him.
10. Mark Hamill Met His Wife at the Dentist
Mark Hamill has been happily married for 40 years to Marilou York. But did you know where their love story first began? Yes, believe it or not, the two met at a dentist’s office where Marilou worked as a dental hygienist and where Mark was a patient. They met in a meeting room and started dating shortly after. And the rest is history. They now have three children together.
9. He’s a Writer
Mark Hamill is not just a talented actor. He’s also an accomplished writer. Some of his works include The Black Pearl comic book miniseries, several stories for The Simpsons Comics, and an introduction to the Batman: Riddler Two-Face.
8. He’s a Prolific Voice Actor
Another thing you probably didn’t know about Mark Hamill is that he has a long history of voicing popular and beloved cartoon characters. For instance, he voices a few characters in The New Scooby-Doo Movies back in the 1970s. He also voiced Hans Christian Anderson and Zeus in The Little Mermaid TV series. He has a long history of voice acting with remarkable roles in animated movies, but also video games. His most famous characters are Chucky in 2019’s Child’s Play, Firelord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Arnim Zola in Ultimate Spider-Man, and the Joker across several DC animated projects.
7. Mark Hamill Once Played a Killer on Criminal Minds
Other than playing the ultimate good guy Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill has a reputation for playing villains. He even portrayed a serial killer in one of the most renowned procedural crime dramas, Criminal Minds. He made a guest appearance on the show in 2013, when he played the notorious killer John Curtis, aka The Replicator.
6. He Went to High School in Japan
Mark Hamill attended the Nile C. Kinnick High School in Yokohama, Japan. The actor then graduated in 1968. When he was asked whether he spoke Japanese by a Twitter user, he replied: “Went to Yokohama High 2 years. Learned a lot of Japanese, but lost so much of it not speaking/hearing it for so long.”
5. Mark Hamill Take on the Joker Is Widely Considered as Iconic
One of his most legendary roles (and no, it’s not just Luke Skywalker) is the one and only, Joker. Mark Hamill has provided his voice to the Joker for over thirty years, starting with the 1992 series Batman: The Animated Series and then continuing to spin-off shows and sequels. For many fans of the animated series, Hamill is and will forever be the ultimate Joker.
4. He’s a Trained Swordsman
One of the reasons why he was such a great Jedi on Star Wars is that he trained as a swordsman to prepare for his lightsaber scenes. Hamill wanted to be the best Jedi warrior he could be, and what better way than to perfect his lightsaber skills? Training as a swordsman proves Hamill is dedicated to going the extra mile for his roles.
3. He Had a Serious Car Accident While Shooting Star Wars: A New Hope
One of the lesser-known facts about Mark Hamill is that he suffered a serious car accident while he was still shooting Star Wars: A New Hope. The accident required him to have nose surgery, leaving a visible scar on his face. It is now believed that several scenes in the movie had to be improvised and written in because of Hamill’s nose reconstruction.
2. He Performed a Majority of His Stunts in Star Wars
Hamill went above and beyond for his role in the Star Wars franchise. He even performed a majority of his stunts in the original trilogy. For instance, in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, he did all of the stunts by himself except in two scenes where he had a stunt double.
1. Mark Hamill Got the Role of Luke Skywalker Thanks to a Famous Friend
Mark Hamill’s friend Robert Englund (best known for his role as Freddy Krueger) had wanted to play Han Solo in Star Wars. When his audition didn’t go as planned, he went home and told his young friend, Mark Hamill, about the Star Wars project. Here’s how the actor recalls it: “I said, ‘Hey, Lucas is doing this space movie. Maybe you’re right for it. The lead guy’s like a teenager…’ So Mark got on the phone to his agent, and I think he went up the next day. He nailed it, and the rest is history.”
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