Current Events > Mark Hamill rips his role in Last Jedi: 'He's not my Luke Skywalker'

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https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mark-hamill-last-jedi-luke-skywalker_us_5a3cf644e4b025f99e16864d

The actor Mark Hamill just lasered in on why he disliked how director Rian Johnson had him play Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Hes not my Luke Skywalker, Hamill, who originated the part in the iconic space opera four decades ago, proclaimed of his role in the new movie.

MILD SPOILER ALERT:

The Last Jedi shows the character in hiding, and Hamill appeared to take issue with that.

I said to Rian, I said Jedis dont 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, its not my story anymore, Hamill, 66, said in an interview posted to YouTube on Wednesday. Its somebody elses story, and Rian needed me to be a certain way to make the ending effective.

Hamill added: I almost had to think of Luke as another character. Maybe hes Jake Skywalker, hes not my Luke Skywalker.

The movie has been a box-office success, and HuffPost critic Matthew Jacobs called it splendid.

Still, Hamills comments appear to confirm that so-called creative differences were shaking up the galaxy far, far away long before the films release.

I still havent accepted it completely, but its only a movie, Hamill said. I hope people like it. I hope they dont get upset.

Hamill may have to prepare to defend himself.
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Hope in the next movie, they go back in time and fix it.
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Two things:

1) Actors don't control the characters. He may not like the direction they went, but just because he played the role decades ago doesn't mean his opinion trumps all others.

2) I'm not sure what Luke means by "Jedi don't give up" when he then went on to say that maybe he'd take a year or two to regroup, as that's essentially exactly what Luke did.
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K181 posted...

1) Actors don't control the characters. He may not like the direction they went, but just because he played the role decades ago doesn't mean his opinion trumps all others.

Yes he said this himself. Well done.
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K181 posted...

2) I'm not sure what Luke means by "Jedi don't give up" when he then went on to say that maybe he'd take a year or two to regroup, as that's essentially exactly what Luke did.

Nah, it was 14 since the big kerfuffle
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K181 posted...

Two things:

1) Actors don't control the characters. He may not like the direction they went, but just because he played the role decades ago doesn't mean his opinion trumps all others.

2) I'm not sure what Luke means by "Jedi don't give up" when he then went on to say that maybe he'd take a year or two to regroup, as that's essentially exactly what Luke did.

2 I agree with but 1 is way more grey than you made it out to be. Completely depends on the creative control that actors given IMO. If you have creative control through a trilogy and then don't decades later you certainly have a right to state "that's not the same character" because you were contracted to play someone else's interpretation of said character.

Unless the majority of his lines and actions were scripted he certainly has a voice in the matter even if it doesn't amount to more than just being his opinion.
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K181 posted...

Two things:

1) Actors don't control the characters. He may not like the direction they went, but just because he played the role decades ago doesn't mean his opinion trumps all others.

2) I'm not sure what Luke means by "Jedi don't give up" when he then went on to say that maybe he'd take a year or two to regroup, as that's essentially exactly what Luke did.

Or 30
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lmao
just saw the video

dude has no fucking idea what hes talking about

literally says "jedis"

lmao how long has he been doing star wars for?
and he fucking says jedis

HAHAHAHHAHAAH
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old
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Unsugarized_Foo posted...

K181 posted...

2) I'm not sure what Luke means by "Jedi don't give up" when he then went on to say that maybe he'd take a year or two to regroup, as that's essentially exactly what Luke did.

Nah, it was 14 since the big kerfuffle

Are you sure? I was under the impression that it had happened only a couple years prior to TFA.
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Completely agree with him. I still liked the newest movie and found the direction interesting, I'd just prefer a different take.
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Freddie_Mercury posted...

old

Didn't find a topic about it, so its new
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Yeah except two of the most respected Jedi of all time did the exact thing. Yoda failed to stop Palpatine and exiled himself for his failure. Then didn't want to train Luke when he came. Obi Wan exiled himself and just chilled on nowheres planet as well.
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Squall28 posted...

Obi Wan exiled himself and just chilled on nowheres planet as well.

I always interpreted it as he went into hiding while somewhat watching over Luke
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While I completely agree that Mark Hamill is just an actor and therefore he doesn't have control over the character... at the same time he's been THE Luke Skywalker for 30 years, so at some point you need to give the actor a level of agency in deciding what they would do, because for narrative consistency there is no better reference for how a character WOULD act.
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Ot Luke is not his Luke Skywalker

I wonder if people are forgetting he was telling people not to get excited about Force Awakens when it came out
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Didn't Obi Wan and Yoda go into hiding for a long ass time? Jedi give up all the time for short periods of time
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DoGCyN posted...

Squall28 posted...

Obi Wan exiled himself and just chilled on nowheres planet as well.

I always interpreted it as he went into hiding while somewhat watching over Luke

me too.

and i dont recall Obi Wan ever refusing to train Luke. in fact, Obi Wan started Luke's training on the Falcon with that flying droid thing that shot stuff.
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Giant_Aspirin posted...

DoGCyN posted...

Squall28 posted...

Obi Wan exiled himself and just chilled on nowheres planet as well.

I always interpreted it as he went into hiding while somewhat watching over Luke

me too.

and i dont recall Obi Wan ever refusing to train Luke. in fact, Obi Wan started Luke's training on the Falcon with that flying droid thing that shot stuff.

Obi-Wan definitely cared for Luke the whole time, I'd be shocked if his spinoff didn't involve him watching over Luke for at least a scene of it
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Yoda quit...
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If I want to know about Luke's mannerisms and such, I would say Mark Hamill is the best expert for that. But in regards to the narrative, this was a dumb thing to say. It was never his story. Mark Hamill did not write any of the Star Wars movies. It was never up to him what Luke Skywalker would or would not have done.
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eston posted...

If I want to know about Luke's mannerisms and such, I would say Mark Hamill is the best expert for that. But in regards to the narrative, this was a dumb thing to say. It was never his story. Mark Hamill did not write any of the Star Wars movies. It was never up to him what Luke Skywalker would or would not have done.

That's true, but to be fair while it isn't his choice, he's also allowed to say that his interpretation of the character as he's known it over the last 30 years, which includes his relationship with George Lucas, the original creator, probably gives him insight into what is and isn't out of character. He didn't write Star Wars, but Rian Johnson didn't write Luke either. Of the two, I'd trust Hamill over Johnson when it comes to narrative consistency of that particular character.
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Giant_Aspirin posted...

DoGCyN posted...

Squall28 posted...

Obi Wan exiled himself and just chilled on nowheres planet as well.

I always interpreted it as he went into hiding while somewhat watching over Luke

me too.

and i dont recall Obi Wan ever refusing to train Luke. in fact, Obi Wan started Luke's training on the Falcon with that flying droid thing that shot stuff.

It was Yoda who didn't want to train Luke.
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He also has been on record saying he didn't like his role in TFA either and that the scene where his lightsaber is in the snow and Rey force pulls it he thought that is when he should have shown up. While I think Hammil gave a great performance in this movie, I do think he thinks he should have had a bigger role in this new trilogy, whereas Harrison and Carrie were ok with taking a back seat.
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Jiggy101011 posted...

He also has been on record saying he didn't like his role in TFA either and that the scene where his lightsaber is in the snow and Rey force pulls it he thought that is when he should have shown up. While I think Hammil gave a great performance in this movie, I do think he thinks he should have had a bigger role in this new trilogy, whereas Harrison and Carrie were ok with taking a back seat.

Fuck that would have made that scene so badass
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Jiggy101011 posted...

He also has been on record saying he didn't like his role in TFA either and that the scene where his lightsaber is in the snow and Rey force pulls it he thought that is when he should have shown up. While I think Hammil gave a great performance in this movie, I do think he thinks he should have had a bigger role in this new trilogy, whereas Harrison and Carrie were ok with taking a back seat.

Harrison Ford only was in TFA *spoiler incoming* because he said he would only play Han Solo again if he died.
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I haven't seen it so my opinion is limited but didn't Yoda go into hiding? And Obi Wan? Since when did Jedis not go into hiding? Literally all of the most important jedi in the series went into hiding, lmao
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pinky0926 posted...

I haven't seen it so my opinion is limited but didn't Yoda go into hiding? And ben? Since when did Jedis not go into hiding. Literally all of the most important jedis in the series went into hiding, lmao

Yoda went into hiding but kept up with the force
Ben didn't so much go into hiding as he went undercover to keep a watchful eye on Anakin's son, and he seemed to stay connected enough with the rebellion for them to know where to find him.
Both were willing to help when asked.

Without spoiling anything, Luke goes quite a bit farther.
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Monolith1676 posted...

Jiggy101011 posted...

He also has been on record saying he didn't like his role in TFA either and that the scene where his lightsaber is in the snow and Rey force pulls it he thought that is when he should have shown up. While I think Hammil gave a great performance in this movie, I do think he thinks he should have had a bigger role in this new trilogy, whereas Harrison and Carrie were ok with taking a back seat.

Harrison Ford only was in TFA *spoiler incoming* because he said he would only play Han Solo again if he died.

Well I assume Ford was like that because he is still getting roles. Hammil not so much outside of some minor tv roles and voice acting. I wish he would stop talking about it to be honest, he gave a great performance with what he was given but the more he goes on bashing it the more respect he loses in my eyes.

Plus TLJ spoilers we all know he will be back in episode 9 as a force ghost, we have not seen the last of him
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s0nicfan posted...

pinky0926 posted...

I haven't seen it so my opinion is limited but didn't Yoda go into hiding? And ben? Since when did Jedis not go into hiding. Literally all of the most important jedis in the series went into hiding, lmao

Yoda went into hiding but kept up with the force
Ben didn't so much go into hiding as he went undercover to keep a watchful eye on Anakin's son, and he seemed to stay connected enough with the rebellion for them to know where to find him.
Both were willing to help when asked.

Without spoiling anything, Luke goes quite a bit farther.

Alright, I get the gist. My takeaway here is that Mark Hamill had different ideas for how the character would develop.

But to me (and probably to a lot of people), it's not unreasonable that Luke would give up on the force. I mean think about how much had happened and how much misfortune the force brought him, and how many people the force corrupted.

This just seems a classic trope of "curmudgeonly master doesn't want to teach new apprentice", to me.
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Then why did he do it?

He could have easily walked away
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K181 posted...

2) I'm not sure what Luke means by "Jedi don't give up" when he then went on to say that maybe he'd take a year or two to regroup, as that's essentially exactly what Luke did.

like went there to die...
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pinky0926 posted...

I haven't seen it so my opinion is limited but didn't Yoda go into hiding? And Obi Wan? Since when did Jedis not go into hiding? Literally all of the most important jedi in the series went into hiding, lmao

To be fair, I think a big reason for them going into hiding was the fact that the Empire (Vader in particular) where hunting down any and all Jedi they got wind of. Hard to put up a fight if there is only a handful of your order left and you have to combat a force like the Empire.
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pinky0926 posted...

s0nicfan posted...

pinky0926 posted...

I haven't seen it so my opinion is limited but didn't Yoda go into hiding? And ben? Since when did Jedis not go into hiding. Literally all of the most important jedis in the series went into hiding, lmao

Yoda went into hiding but kept up with the force
Ben didn't so much go into hiding as he went undercover to keep a watchful eye on Anakin's son, and he seemed to stay connected enough with the rebellion for them to know where to find him.
Both were willing to help when asked.

Without spoiling anything, Luke goes quite a bit farther.

Alright, I get the gist. My takeaway here is that Mark Hamill had different ideas for how the character would develop.

But to me (and probably to a lot of people), it's not unreasonable that Luke would give up on the force. I mean think about how much had happened and how much misfortune the force brought him, and how many people the force corrupted.

This just seems a classic trope of "curmudgeonly master doesn't want to teach new apprentice", to me.

I read somewhere that Rian Johnson is a big fan of the samurai genre of film and that is a big trope for those type of films.
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1NfamousACE_2 posted...

Then why did he do it?

He could have easily walked away

They all signed a 3 movie contract before Disney bought LucasArts. They were told that Lucas was going to be involved, and at the time no other script or director has been identified. He couldn't have walked with Disney going after him for breach of contract.
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Yoda's initial reluctance to train Luke was because Luke "had too much of his father in him". After the Anakin debacle, I can see why he'd he hesitant to do it again. >_>

Anyway I dont know if I agree totally with Hamill on what they should have done. I do feel like Luke was completely wasted in this trilogy though and they should have done a lot more.

Idk, I think in their desire to move on they were too timid on relying on old characters for the big scenes. But this transition is exactly when they should have milked the ogs as much as they could. Now that Disney has the franchise, they'll be making these until the Second Coming. Should have just really used who they had when they had them. <_<
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Marks personification of Luke is from 30 years ago. His character had no time to develop between then and now. Maybe younger Luke would have acted like Mark wanted, but 30 years or however long its been in the movies is a long time for someone to change.
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Chicken posted...

Marks personification of Luke is from 30 years ago. His character had no time to develop between then and now. Maybe younger Luke would have acted like Mark wanted, but 30 years or however long its been in the movies is a long time for someone to change.

I don't understand this logic that Mark Hamill doesn't have a good sense of what Luke would do after 30 years, but Rian Johnson with no input from Lucas and like 3 movies under his belt does.
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I mean...there's a difference between hiding because you're being hunted by super powerful Sith Lords who control literally the entire galaxy...and going into hiding because you failed a student.
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Jiggy101011 posted...

I read somewhere that Rian Johnson is a big fan of the samurai genre of film and that is a big trope for those type of films.

It's basically the standard for pretty much any warrior mentor in anime and so much fiction. They hate their legacy and you have to satisfy some eccentric test to show that you're worthy of learning the craft.
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