Mark Richard Hamill was born on September 25, 1951, inOakland, California.[1] His father, William Thomas Hamill, was aU.S. Navy Captain.[2] He is one of seven children, with two brothers, Will and Patrick, and four sisters, Terry, Jan, Jeanie, and Kim.[3] His father has English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry and his mother was of half Swedish and half English descent.[4][5] Hamill has described his father as a staunch Roman Catholic, and "NixonRepublican".[6] Hamill has stated that he had a troubled relationship with his father who couldn't understand his childhood obsession with movies and comic books, seeing them as frivolous things that he should outgrow.[7]
His father's changes of station and attendant family moves led to the Hamill children switching schools often. During his elementary years, he attendedWalsingham Academy in Williamsburg, Virginia, andEdgar Allan Poe Middle School in Annandale, Virginia.[8] At age 11, he moved to the 5900 block of Castleton Drive in San Diego, California, where he attended Hale Junior High School.[9] During his first year atJames Madison High School in San Diego, his family moved back to Virginia, and Hamill attendedAnnandale High School.[10] By his junior year, his father was stationed in Japan, where Hamill attended and was a member of the Drama Club atNile C. Kinnick High School, from which he graduated in 1969.[11][12] He later enrolled atLos Angeles City College, majoring in drama.[10]
Robert Englund was auditioning for a role inApocalypse Now when he walked across the hall to where auditions were taking place forGeorge Lucas'sStar Wars. After watching the auditions for a while, he realized that Hamill, his friend, would be perfect for the role ofLuke Skywalker.[better source needed][3] He suggested to Hamill that he audition for the role;[better source needed][16] as it turned out, Hamill's agent had already set up the audition that gave him the role.[17] During hisscreen test, Hamill presumed that he was playing a sidekick toHarrison Ford'sHan Solo and was unsure whether or not the film was supposed to be a comedy.[18]
Released in May 1977,Star Wars was an enormous, unexpected success and had a huge effect on the film industry. Hamill went on to appear in the less-than-successfulStar Wars Holiday Special in 1978,[19] and later starred in the successful film sequelsThe Empire Strikes Back andReturn of the Jedi. During the time between the first two films, Hamill was involved in a serious car accident, fracturing his nose and left cheekbone.[3] False rumors spread that his face had required plastic surgery.[20] For his part in both of the sequels, Hamill was honored with theSaturn Award for Best Actor, given by theAcademy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. In 1980, he made a guest appearance onThe Muppet Show, both as himself and as Luke Skywalker in the episodeThe Stars of Star Wars. The episode also starredC-3PO andR2-D2, who joined Luke on a search forChewbacca.[21]
Hamill reprised the role of Luke Skywalker for theradio dramatizations of bothStar Wars andThe Empire Strikes Back.[22] For theReturn of the Jedi radio drama, the role was played by a different actor.[23]
Editions ofJoseph Campbell'sThe Hero with a Thousand Faces (which influenced Lucas as he was developing the films) issued after the release ofStar Wars in 1977 used the image of Hamill as Luke Skywalker on the cover.[24][25]
Hamill returned to theStar Wars universe in 2014, when he voiced the ancient Sith LordDarth Bane[27] in the last episode of season 6 of the animated seriesThe Clone Wars. He was nominated for aDaytime Emmy Award for his performance.[28]
Mark Hamill in 2017, at the premiere ofThe Last Jedi
Following its acquisition ofLucasfilm,The Walt Disney Company released moreStar Wars films, starting withThe Force Awakens on December 18, 2015. Initially, both Disney and Hamill were coy about whether Hamill would be a cast member.[29][30] It was reported that Hamill had been assigned a nutritionist and personal trainer ahead of production. In September 2013, Hamill's friend Robert Englund confirmed that "they've got Mark in the gym because Mark's coming back as Luke Skywalker."[31] Despite having top billing, Hamill only appears briefly at the end of the film (with no dialogue) in acliffhanger set-up for the sequel.[32][33][34]
Hamill played Skywalker again inStar Wars: The Last Jedi, released on December 15, 2017.[35] Hamill was initially critical of his own role in the film, stating that he and directorRian Johnson had "a fundamental difference" regarding Skywalker's characterization.[36][37][38] Hamill later expressed regret for having made those statements, calling the film an "all-time great".[39] He played Skywalker again inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.[40]
Hamill also had voice cameos as Dobbu Scay inThe Last Jedi, Boolio inThe Rise of Skywalker, and EV-9D9 in thefifth episode ofThe Mandalorian. He had similar cameos inThe Force Awakens,Rogue One, andSolo: A Star Wars Story in undisclosed roles, for which he was credited as "William M. Patrick" and "Patrick Williams".[41]
Hamill was digitally de-aged to reprise his role as Skywalker in theseason 2 finale ofThe Mandalorian[42] and the sixth chapter of the spin-off seriesThe Book of Boba Fett.[a] He also appeared inDisney Gallery: The Mandalorian.
Hamill also directed and starred in the 2004 direct-to-DVD filmComic Book: The Movie.[78] Having been a comic-book fan who attended science-fiction and comics conventions before becoming famous, Hamill said his character was based on an exaggerated version of himself. He and his crew shot most of the "mockumentary" film during the 2002San Diego Comic-Con and enlistedStan Lee,Kevin Smith,Bruce Campbell andHugh Hefner in small roles. The movie won an award for Best Live-Action DVD Premiere Movie at the 2005DVD Exclusive Awards.[79][80]
In 2011, Hamill appeared as a villain in thefifth season of theNBC seriesChuck.[81] He appeared in the television seriesCriminal Minds—in the last two episodes of season eight—as John Curtis (also known as "The Replicator"), a serial killer who stalks the BAU team throughout the show's eighth season.[82] He also made a guest appearance alongsideGeorge Takei in the season one finale of theABC sitcomThe Neighbors as Commandant Bill.[83]
Hamill starred in the 2011 Hungarian filmThelomeris, a project on which he also served as a creative consultant.[84]Thelomeris was the first mainstream science-fiction film to be produced in Hungary.[85] The following year, Hamill starred in two more live-action films: the Britishhorror filmAirborne and theindependent filmSushi Girl.Airborne was received negatively by critics and audiences.[citation needed] Hamill said the dark tone ofSushi Girl pulled him out of his comfort zone, but he was grateful that it did.[86]
In 2014, Hamill appeared in the filmKingsman: The Secret Service as James Arnold, a professor fromImperial College London and an expert onclimate change. He also reprised his role as the Trickster inThe CW's 2014 live-action seriesThe Flash, appearing in the seventeenth episode of the first season, the ninth episode of the second season, and the ninth episode of the third season.[87] Hamill starred in the 2018 filmCon Man, an independent film about the life of famouscon manBarry Minkow. Hamill played Minkow's father, Robert Minkow.[88]
Hamill appeared in the second season of the historical-fiction drama seriesKnightfall, which premiered in 2019. He portrayed Master Talus, a veteran Templar who trains the initiates at the Chartres Temple.[89] In April 2022, it was announced that Hamill would make an appearance on the revival of the seriesThe Kids in the Hall, which was set to be released onAmazon Prime Video the following month, on May 13.[90]
Voice acting
General work
Hamill first performed voice acting work in the early 1970s, voicing the character Corey Anders on the Saturday morning cartoonJeannie byHanna-Barbera Productions. He later played Sean in theRalph Bakshi filmWizards,[3] which was released just three months beforeStar Wars in 1977. The voice role he is most known for isBatman's archenemy theJoker,[27] the success of which has led him to portray a wide variety of characters in television, film, anime, and video games (mostly similar super-villains).
In-character as Luke Skywalker, Hamill voices the English versions of the Ukrainianair raid warning app.[102][103] The alerts are not only performed in Skywalker's cadence but, after the alert is over, he signs off with "May the Force be with you". Hamill has raised funds for theUkrainian war relief effort by signingStar Wars-themed posters to be raffled off.[104]
The short-livedThe WB live-action seriesBirds of Prey, based on the comic book of the same title, featured a flashback sequence in which the Joker shootsBarbara Gordon andparalyzes her. This sequence featured Hamill voicing Joker,dubbed over actor/stuntman Roger Stoneburner whose facial structure more resembled the character.[108][109] He also voiced the character in a few segments inRobot Chicken.
Hamill voiced the Joker alongside hisBatman: The Animated Series co-starKevin Conroy asBatman and Jason Hillhouse asDick Grayson in a feature of a storyboard scene included in the 2005 Special Edition DVD ofTim Burton's 1989 filmBatman.[110] This scene depicted the origin ofRobin, which was not filmed because the producers felt it was out-of-place with the rest of the film.[111]
Hamill has said that he has voiced the Joker for toys and amusement park rides. Although these jobs did not pay particularly well, he enjoyed even these small roles and admitted being protective of the character, preferring not to let "others sleep in my sleeping bag";[112] he also self-identifies as a "real comic book nerd".[112]
Hamill has portrayed the Joker in a few Batman based video games, beginning with 2001'sBatman: Vengeance,[113] theSega CD version ofThe Adventures of Batman & Robin (which was later used to create a "lost" episode of the animated series)[114] and inBatman: Arkham Asylum.[3][112] Hamill again reprised the role in theArkham sequel,Batman: Arkham City.[115] In May 2010, Hamill declared to IGN that his role inArkham City would be his last as the Joker.[112] Some months later, with the announcement ofArkham City, he clarified his statements in the interview by saying, via his Twitter account, "Only said Arkham Asylum would be hard to top, not that I was quitting."[116] On October 19, 2011, shortly after the release of the game, Hamill announced his retirement on his Twitter account, saying "Hello/Goodbye Joker! I've enjoyed every minute behind the wheel of the Clown Prince's crazy car – I'm going to miss him more than I can say!!".[116] In June 2012, WB Games released the expansion pack titled "The Last Laugh" for the video gameDC Universe Online, featuring Hamill as the Joker.[117][118] In 2015, Hamill yet again returned as the Joker inBatman: Arkham Knight with the character recurring through the game as a hallucination.[119]
Hamill has commented that if there would ever be an animated version ofBatman: The Killing Joke, he would gladly voice the Joker again, encouraging fans to campaign for said adaptation.[121][122] On July 17, 2015, Hamill tweeted that he had his fingers crossed in hopes that he would be contacted to reprise his role as the Joker in theanimated adaptation.[123] On July 27, Collider reported that Hamill would voice the Joker in the film.[124] The film was released in theaters for a two-day limited time. It was released on Digital HD on July 27, 2016. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 2.[125]
Hamill reprised the Joker for the animated seriesJustice League Action. He also reprised the Trickster for the series, as well as voicingSwamp Thing.[126] In the animated short "Missing the Mark", Hamill voices a fictionalized version of himself, who appears alongside all three of his other characters.[127] Hamill once again voiced Joker inLego DC Super-Villains, replacing voice actorChristopher Corey Smith.[128]
In January 2023, Hamill revealed in an interview that he would no longer voice the Joker following Kevin Conroy's death in 2022, stating that "Without Kevin there, there doesn't seem to be a Batman for me."[129] In 2024, Hamill voiced the Joker in the crossover fighting gameMultiVersus[130] and the filmJustice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three (both of which Conroy recorded dialogue as Batman before his death).[131]
Writing
Hamill is the co-writer ofThe Black Pearl, a comic book miniseries published byDark Horse Comics.[132] He wrote an introduction to the Trade PaperbackBatman: Riddler Two-Face which reprints various stories involvingthe Riddler andTwo-Face to tie in withBatman Forever. He has also written several stories forSimpsons Comics, including "Catastrophe in Substitute Springfields!", which parodies DC'sCrisis on Infinite Earths and also references several other classic comics.[133]
Personal life
On January 11, 1977, before shooting one of his scenes inStar Wars, Hamill was in a car accident in which he fractured his nose and left cheekbone.[134] As a result, a double was used for thelandspeederpickup shots.[135]
Hamill was also an early fan ofDavid Letterman, having occasionally appeared onLate Night with David Letterman, as well as taping every episode and keeping a journal documenting the show. After encountering writerChris Elliott, Hamill was asked for assistance in helping determine the 1,000th Viewer Mail that Letterman had answered. His practice continued to Letterman'snew show on CBS, but eventually stopped.[136]
According to a 1981 profile inPeople, Hamill's "first serious love" was actressAnne Wyndham, cast as his sister onGeneral Hospital, with whom he had an offscreen relationship.[10] He would later describe experiencing seasons of on-set awkwardness while working with her after their relationship ended.[138] In a 2017 interview, he attributed his long, happy marriage to a non-actor to learning, through his relationship with Wyndham, the dangers of being in a relationship with a fellow actor.[139]
On December 17, 1978, Hamill marrieddental hygienist Marilou York in a privatecivil ceremony.[140] They have three children: Nathan Elias, Griffin Tobias, and Chelsea Elizabeth.[141] Nathan was born during the production ofThe Empire Strikes Back and had a cameo appearance as one of the Royal Guards ofNaboo inStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.[142] Chelsea made a photographic appearance as an infantAxel Walker in the 1990 television seriesThe Flash; the same photograph was used in the2014 series.[143] All three have cameos asResistance soldiers inThe Last Jedi.[144] In addition to his three children, Mark Hamill has a granddaughter, Autumn, through his oldest son Nathan.[145]
In October 2023, Hamill, along with over 700 other Hollywood professionals, signed an open letter condemning the Palestinian militant groupHamas, demanding the release ofhostages held inGaza, and expressing support forIsrael in theIsrael–Hamas war.[153]
On September 29, 2022, Hamill became anambassador of theUnited24 fundraising platform, which raises funds to supportUkraine in the war againstRussia.[155][156] On March 25, 2023, a drawing was held for posters signed by Mark Hamill; it raised more than $300,000 forRQ-35 Heidrun reconnaissance drones.[157][158][159]
^This was due toThe Mandalorian andThe Book of Boba Fett being set five years after the events ofReturn of the Jedi. Luke Skywalker was born 19 years before the events ofA New Hope so would have been 28 years old during both series.
^Woodham, Scott."Mark Hamill at Yokosuka, 1978".Stars and Stripes.Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. RetrievedMarch 11, 2019.Hamill was student council president and a member of the Class of 1969 at the base's Nile C. Kinnick High School while his father, a Navy officer, was stationed there.
^Kinnick High School was located in Yokohama, Japan until its relocation to Yokosuka, Japan in 1971.[citation needed]
^"From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga".Star Wars.Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. RetrievedDecember 26, 2021.Narrated by Mark Hamill, it features rare behind-the-scenes footage from the original trilogy.
^Dicker, Ron."Mark Hamill Rips His Role In 'Last Jedi': 'He's Not My Luke Skywalker'".The Huffington Post. Archived fromthe original on December 23, 2017.I said to Rian, I said 'Jedis don't give up.' I mean, even if he had a problem, he would maybe take a year to try and regroup, but if he made a mistake he would try and right that wrong, so right there, we had a fundamental difference, but, it's not my story anymore," Hamill, 66, said in an interview posted by Spanish-language movie site SensaCine recently. "It's somebody else's story, and Rian needed me to be a certain way to make the ending effective.
^Collin, Robbie (December 6, 2015)."Mark Hamill: a force to be reckoned with".The Daily Telegraph. London.Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. RetrievedJanuary 15, 2016.The Trickster, a villain he's previously played in the 1990 Flash live-action show
^"Star Citizen game hits $100m funding milestone".BBC News. December 15, 2015.Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. RetrievedMarch 10, 2016.Actors including Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill and Gillian Anderson have all signed up to provide voices for the non-player roles featured in this campaign.
^Batman – Special Edition DVD (2005), The Complete Robin Storyboard Sequence. Subtitle commentary:When BATMAN went into production in 1988, Robin was still set to make a brief appearance. But by the time they began principal photography, the filmmakers felt that the relationship between Batman and Robin wasn't essential to the story, and script changes eliminated the Boy Wonder altogether. The actors are named in the credits.
^Kubin, Jacquie (April 1997)."An Interview With Mark Hamill".Animation World Magazine. Vol. 2, no. 1.Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. RetrievedApril 14, 2022.Originally done as a screenplay, it was picked up by Dark Horse Comics, and Mark and Eric adapted it themselves to the comic book page.
^Blake, Sarah (November 11, 2017)."I never expected to be remembered for anything".The Daily Telegraph. London.Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. RetrievedFebruary 28, 2018.Hamill married Marilou, a former dental hygienist, in December 1978 — right in the middle of the initial Star Wars craze. He explains that he couldn't have married another actor, a lesson he learnt after a previous relationship with Anne Wyndham, who he starred alongside in US soap opera General Hospital in the early 1970s.
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