Mark Hamill is best known for his role iconic role as Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Knight and son of the infamous Sith Lord, Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogies.
His career started out rocky, as he only managed to land a few small parts on TV shows, such as General Hospital, One Day at a Time, The Texas Wheelers,The Cosby Show, and The Partridge Family.
Eventually, he went on to score one of the leading roles in Eight is Enough, another sitcom, which brought him some of the fame that he was looking for; however, he still struggled to make ends meet, as these roles paid a meager amount (when compared to the salaries that the majority of actors make and what Hamill had his sights set on).
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, however, Hamill’s luck – and his bank account – would change. It was then that George Lucas cast him as Luke Skywalker, one of the leading protagonists in the original Star Wars Trilogy, which included three of the most famous movies of all time, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, and made Hamill a household name and one of the most famous actors in Hollywood.
Given his fame, Mark Hamill has secured himself a net worth of an estimated $18 million.
Mark Hamill: The Facts
| Net Worth: | $18 Million |
|---|---|
| 📆 DOB: | December 25, 1951 |
| 🌎 Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| 💲 Source of Wealth: | Actor |
| ✅ Updated: | 2023 |
Most of his money was accrued as a result of the Star Wars movies that he appeared in, which included:
- New Hope
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Return of the Jedi
- The Force Awakens
- The Last Jedi
Hamill has also appeared in several other roles throughout his acting career. He’s done a lot of voice work, including several animated Batman movies, as well as several other animated shows, such as The Regular Show, and Avengers Assemble, as well as video games like Lego DC Super Villains and Kingdom Hearts III. In fact, throughout his career, Mark Hamill has played more than 250 roles.
When determining his net worth, it’s important to note the inflation rate, as his earnings for his earlier roles would have differed substantially according to the worth of today’s dollar. For example, in the late 1970s, his role in Star Wars: New Hope reportedly earned him $650,000; however, when adjusted, that amount today would have been approximately $2.7 million.
When compared to the net worth of the Star Wars franchise, which has grossed an estimated $7.5 billion to date, the amount that Hamill earned seems like mere peanuts, especially considering the fact that he played Luke Skywalker, one of the key characters.
Nevertheless, Mark Hamill’s net worth is still substantially more than the net worth of the average person (albeit, his worth is no comparison for some of the actors and actresses that have secured equal fame).
Interested in learning more about Mark Hamill? Below, find out about this famous American’s actors meager beginnings, how he secured the role that changed his life (Luke Skywalker), and what he has achieved since becoming one of the most famous actors in the world.
Mark Hamill: The Early Years
Mark Hamill was born on September 25, 1951, in Oakland, California to Virginia Suzanne and William Thomas Hamill, a Captain in the United States Navy. He one of seven children and has four sisters and two brothers.
Due to his father’s role in the Navy, Hamill moved around quite a bit during his childhood. Over the years, he lived in San Diego, Virginia, and even Japan, where he graduated from Nie C. Kinnick high school.
It was there that his interest in acting and he enrolled in the schools Drama Club. After he earned his high school diploma, Mark Hamill moved back to California, where he majored in drama at Los Angeles City College.
Mark Hamill: Acting Career
Mark Hamill’s acting career kicked off when he landed a recurring role on General Hospital, one of the most famous soap operas of all time. Between 1974 and 1975, he also played a part on The Texas Wheelers, a sitcom.
He was also on the pilot episode of Eight is Enough, another popular television show, in which he played the role of David, the family’s eldest son.
Hamill also made guest appearances on several other well-known television shows, including The Partridge Family, The Cosby Show, One Day at a Time, and Room 222. He also played parts on several made-for-TV movies, including Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic and The City.
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
Mark Hamill landed the role of Luke Skywalker – the role that would change his life forever – by chance. Actually, he owes the role to his friend, Robert Englund, another actor, singer, and director who is best known for playing Freddy Krueger, the serious killer and main antagonist of the movie series Nightmare on Elm Street.
While Englund was auditioning for a part in the movie Apocalypse Now, he took interest in the auditions that George Lucas, now one of the most notable filmmakers in the world, was holding for a movie series that was based on a book, Star Wars.
As Englund observed the auditions, his friend Hamill came to mind, and he encouraged him to try out for the role of Luke Skywalker. Hamill did audition, he landed the part, and the rest is history.
The first film in the original Star Wars trilogy, New Hope, was released in 1977 and it instantaneously (and unexpectedly) became a mega hit. Hamill’s portrayal of Luke Skywalker was applauded by people around the world and instantly made the actor a Hollywood sensation.
Hamill was so successful as the Jedi knight that he was cast for the same role in New Hope’s sequels, The Empire Strikes Back, which was released in 1980, and Return of the Jedi, which was released in 1983. Both films were also box office smashes. His portrayal as Luke Skywalker was so beloved that the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films bestowed him with the Saturn Award for Best Actor.
When Lucasfilm, the production company that was headed by George Lucas, was bought by The Walt Disney Company, the decision to make new Star Wars films was revealed. The Force Awakens was the first Star Wars movie released by Disney. Prior to the release of the film, rumors circulated about the prospect of Hamill making an appearance.
When the film was released, those rumors were confirmed and fans were delighted to see that the beloved Luke Skywalker – played by none other than Mark Hamill – were, indeed, true. The actor also went on to appear as the same character in The Last Jedi, which was released at the end of 2017.
Though his fans were thrilled that Hamill was a part of the film, Hamill was not satisfied with his portrayal. He stated that he was unhappy with the way he portrayed Luke Skywalker in this film, citing a difference of opinion that he and the director of the film, Rian Johnson, has concerning the characterization of the fictional hero.
Despite this, Mark Hamill will go on to play the role of the Jedi Knight, yet again, in the final film in the Star Wars series, Episode IX, which is to be released on December 20 of 2019.
Mark Hamill: Life Beyond Luke Skywalker
It is safe to say that Mark Hamill is best known for his role as the fictional hero, Luke Skywalker; however, the actor has played many more roles than this.
At first, it was difficult for Hamill to break away from Skywalker, as he was always identified as the character and it is this role that, indeed, made him a Hollywood sensation. Following his initial performances in New Hope, Hamill was adamant about avoiding being typecasted and played a part in Corvette Summer, an adventure comedy that was released in 1978, the year after the first Star Wars film debuted.
In 1980, he was cast in The Big Red One, an epic war movie. The actor’s role in both of these films was nowhere near as acclaimed as the role he played in Star Wars.
Following up on his success as Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill appear on The Muppet Show, where he played both himself and the fictional character that he was had become synonymous with; however, he still longed to break away from Star Wars and in 1981, he assumed a role in the movie The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. In 1982, he played a part in the film Britannia Hospital.
He also attempted to break away from film and took parts in Broadway plays, including The Elephant Man, Amadeus, Room Services, and The Nerd. Overall, his on-stage performances were well received; in fact, in 1985, he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his role in the play Harrigan ‘N Hart.
Despite his dedication to avoid being typecasted, Hamill had a very hard time being separated from Luke Skywalker. When the play Amadeus was turned into a film, he auditioned for the same role, assuming that he would be a shoe-in; however, he did not score the part, as one of the executives of the studio that produced the film said that he did not want to have Luke Skywalker in the movie.
After spending six years away from film, he starred in the movie Slipstream in 1989 and proceeded to either play leading roles or make cameo appearances in several movies throughout the 1990s.
During this decade, titles that he played parts in include The Guyver, Midnight Ride, Village of the Damned, and Hamilton, a Swedish action movie. In 2001, he assumed the role of Cocknocker, a supervillain, in the comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. During this time period, Hamill also made appearances in several television shows, including Saturday Night Live, 3rd Rock from the Sun, MADtv, Just Shoot Me!, and The Outer Limits.
Other television shows, films, and plays that Mark Hamill has made since his success as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars include:
- Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks
- Comic Book: The Movie
- Chuck
- Criminal Minds
- The Neighbors
- Airborne
- Sushi Girl
- Kingsman: The Secret Service
- The Flash
- Con Man
Mark Hamill: The Voice Actor
In addition to playing multiple roles in films, on TV, and on the stage, Mark Hamill has also made a name for himself as a voice actor. His work in voice acting began in the 1970s, when he did the voice of Corey Anders on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Jeannie.
He was also the voice of Ralph Bakshi in the movie Wizards. He has also played the voice of the Joker in an animated Batman series, a role that led him to be quite successful in the voice acting industry.
Other characters that he has done the voice for include the Hobgoblin in an animated Spider-Man series, the Gargoyle in an animated series of The Incredible Hulk, Klaw in the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and various other animated superhero-themed series.
Hamill has also made cameo voice appearances in several animated TV shows and movies, including The Simpsons, Robot Chicken, Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists, Futurama, and many, many more. Hamill has also made quite a name for himself as a voice actor in several video games.
He is also credited with playing the voices of key characters in multiple video games and appears in games such as the Wing Commander series and the Star Citizen game, Squadron 42, currently in development.
Mark Hamill: Awards and Accolades
There’s no doubt about it: Mark Hamill has made a huge impact in the entertainment industry. He has played so many different roles and has certainly left an imprint on Hollywood that will never be forgotten.
His incredible performances have earned him several awards and accolades over the years. He has received five Behind the Voice Actor Awards for various productions, including Batman: Arkham City, Regular Show: The Movie, and Star Wars: Clone Wars.
He has also been the recipient of NAVGTR Awards, DVD Exclusive Awards, and BAFTA Awards.
Mark Hamill Quotes
So much of life is what you roll and where you land.
I will say that comic books are not the easiest things to translate to film, number one. Even the most well meaning of filmmakers find what’s acceptable on the printed page is very difficult to bring to film.
Character roles only indicate that they’re very different from who you are as a person, and for me, it’s fun hiding behind characters that are so unlike who I am.
One of the things that I love about voiceover is that it’s a situation where – because you’re not encumbered by being seen – it’s liberating. You’re able to make broad choices that you would never make if you were on camera.
When I was involved with ‘Star Wars,’ I was very interested in all the backstories, and I used to pepper George with all kinds of questions about anything that crossed my mind, because I was very, very into it. But when the job came to an end, I had to move on.
I debated in high school! If you told things that weren’t true or just made things out of whole cloth, you were penalized. It’s too bad they don’t apply the same standards to presidential candidates as they do to high school students.
In high school, I had to hide my comic book side, my nerd side from the civilian world so they wouldn’t categorize me. They would try to marginalize me for what I like. I tried to give it up, believe me. I tried to kick the habit. But there’s too much I liked about it to give it up completely.
