Watch Mark Hamill React to his Original Star Wars Audition Tape
Watching the always game Mark Hamill watching himself is a uniquely delightful experience. The talented veteran of screens big and small knows full well that he’ll always be best known as Luke Skywalker, and here we get to watch Hamill watching himself—in what feels like a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away—in his original audition tape for Star Wars: IV – A New Hope.
The year was 1976. Star Wars was but a glimmer in George Lucas’s eye, and Hamill was a young and relatively unknown actor. His audition tape for what we all know would turn out to be a career-defining role in an industry-changing mega-franchise is, to put it mildly, slightly goofy. Hamill of today certainly thinks so. Watching him watch himself is hilarious.
It’s also for a good cause. Hamill is promoting N.A.I., an organization that helps prepare underprivileged students for college. The video was produced by Omaze, who have a long history of partnering with hugely popular film franchises and stars to help draw attention, and crucial funds, to great causes. In this case, you could end up being flown, with a guest, to Los Angeles to have dinner with Hamill and go to the premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. In the past, Omaze has partnered with Ryan Reynolds during Deadpool 2 to help fight cancer, offered up a chance to have tea with Benedict Cumberbatch, and a whole lot more. For Rise of Skywalker, Hamill’s not the only star Omaze is working with. You can meet Daisy Ridley, you can meet Adam Driver, and in both cases, you can go to the premiere. All of these stars are aligned with their own cause.
But back to Hamill. The man’s self-deprecation is a Jedi mind trick of its own. Watch him praise Harrison Ford, watch him reveal his initial thoughts on Lucas’s script, and watch him just be delightful in general. How do you pronounce “Chewbacca”? Back then, no one was quite sure!
It’s a great video for a great cause. Check it out below.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20, 2019.
Featured image: Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Photo: John Wilson. ©2017 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
