There is so much more to Mark Hamill as an actor than just his most iconic role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga—and he proves that in recent film The Life of Chuck.
He’s won rave reviews for playing an accountant with a sinister secret in the adaptation of the Stephen King story—especially for a scene where his character advises his grandson not to go into a showbusiness career.
Working on that scene made Mark reflect on his own childhood when he was given a similar speech.
“It was relatable because I remember telling my parents what I wanted to do. And they said, ‘You’re out of your mind.’ What are the odds? We don’t know anybody in show business… Get your teacher’s degree.’ So, that’s common advice, because the odds are against you.
“But I always knew that this is what I wanted to do… seeing black and white King Kong on TV and saying I want to go to work where people make dinosaurs come to life… For a long time I wouldn’t dare admit that this is what was my goal, for fear of ridicule.
“Later I would see theater by myself in New York… It made acting very much real to me… that films and television weren’t.”
Those experiences gave him the courage to pursue an against-the-odds career in acting and what a career it has been in Star Wars and a string of other projects including latest release The Long Walk, another Stephen King adaptation.
“I feel so grateful that I’ve been able to do that and make a living at it.”
—Sandro Monetti