3 Questions for Mark Hamill

Mark Hamill’s familiar presence is led by two hugely popular and dramatically different roles. He became world-famous as the heroic Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise and drew a new generation of fans as the chilling voice of the wicked Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. Now he’s bouncing between good and evil, playing a loving grandfather in The Life of Chuck and a brutal and violent military officer in The Long Walk.

Hamill, who is a certifiable movie star thanks to the enduring success of Star Wars, felt at times that his own career was guided by that iconic phrase, “May the Force be with you.” He went on to literally hundreds of films, TV shows, and even video games. The Life of Chuck, based on the novel by Stephen King, explores the search for meaning in one man’s life, and it’s generating Oscar buzz. Hamill’s performance helped him rethink his own journey. As for the relentlessly cruel Major in The Long Walk, also from Stephen King, Hamill welcomed the challenge of taking on his meanest role ever. He understands that audiences might hate him.

Jeanne Wolf: You are such an optimistic man. How could you understand this evil guy?

Mark Hamill: The real heart of the movie [The Long Walk] is the story of these young men on this terrible journey and only one will survive. The camaraderie of those competitors is what made me want to do it. I thought this is so atypical of Stephen King. He’s a lot more versatile than people give him credit for. Yes, the Major is heartless. He’s a representative of a very repressive government. I decided to wear sunglasses all the time night or day because I thought it would make him almost an automaton. I drew from my childhood. My dad was in the military, and we lived on a Marine base. I saw drill sergeants who were extremely brutal.

I planned to have a get-together for the young actors before we started filming. Then the star, Cooper Hoffman, said he was afraid he was going to like me. And I said, “Tell Cooper, when he meets me, I guarantee he will like me, but not when I’m in character as the Major.” Playing a villain can be as rewarding as playing a hero, since both roles seek a strong audience reaction, whether positive or negative. It can be fun to be mean and get paid for it.

JW: Then there is white-headed you as Chuck’s Grandpa.

MH: The Life of Chuck is heartfelt and life-affirming and wonderful to watch. It’s almost therapeutic. People come out feeling much better about themselves and the world. But it’s hard to explain this movie. You just have to see it. It’s a feel-good movie on a level of It’s a Wonderful Life. Our nation is experiencing an unprecedented level of division; however, this story includes numerous aspects that can inspire individuals to feel a sense of positivity and self-worth. I play a grandfather who has a drinking problem, but he loves his grandson, and, in his own way, tries to support him.

Personally, I didn’t get much encouragement growing up because I knew very early on that I wanted to be in show business. My parents were much more practical. My older brother was an honor student and became a doctor, so he’s always been the success of the family.

I was very lucky. I went to Los Angeles, and I got an agent, a job on the Bill Cosby Show, and I got my union card. My father came to see me. I’d been on a soap opera and I’d done five TV movies. I took him to a screening at 20th Century Fox of The Paper Chase, about a struggling young law student. I said, “What did you think of the movie, Daddy?” He went, “I thought it was quite remarkable.” He said, “If you go to law school, I’ll match your tuition dollar for dollar.”

Although I earned much more than he did, that wasn’t the point. I just sort of swallowed my pride and I said, “Thanks, Dad, I’ll think about that.”

JW: People expect you to be a Star Wars expert, but you say the fans know much more than you do.

MH: I don’t go back and watch the movies again. I meet people all the time that have seen them 10, 20 times. And they’re following The Mandalorian and Andor. I’m very lucky that George [Lucas] let me be a part of that original trilogy, but it’s done.

When I was on Broadway and people were still seeing Luke Skywalker, I tried to distance myself. Carrie Fisher came to see me and goes, “I’m Princess Leia, you’re Luke Skywalker, get over it.” And I saw what she meant. Why struggle against something that makes people so happy? So, I was able to put it in perspective.

I don’t have the same drive or ambition anymore. I really enjoy my children living nearby. I love being home with my wife and the dogs. So, I’d been thinking, “It’s time to move on.” Of course, the minute I said that, all of a sudden I’m in demand!

This article is featured in the September/October 2025 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.