Mark Hamill Names the Classic Film That Shaped His Dreams

For Mark Hamill, it’s not easy to escape the shadow of a single, career-defining character. No matter what he does, he’s still best known as Luke Skywalker, the farm boy from Tatooine who became a Jedi. Nearly fifty years after Star Wars first hit the big screen and changed pop culture forever, Hamill’s name is still tied to that galaxy far, far away. The film arrived at a time when Hollywood was full of dark, gritty stories, and it brought a fresh sense of adventure and hope. George Lucas’ space saga, which started out as a bit of a gamble, ended up smashing expectations. But Hamill, then a 24-year-old trying to make a go of it on telly, saw something special in the script. He was drawn in by the humour, the universal characters, and the wild imagination on display—things he hadn’t seen before in any other film.

Hamill was so keen to be part of the project that he managed to get out of his contract for ABC’s Eight is Enough, throwing himself into Lucas’ space adventure. The risk paid off. Star Wars didn’t just become a hit; it set the standard for summer blockbusters and turned Hamill into a household name. His face was everywhere, from action figures to lunchboxes. But with that fame came a bit of a trap. Like Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, Hamill found himself forever linked to one role. Still, as he’s said before, it’s better to be remembered for something than not at all. He’s since carved out a solid second act as the voice of The Joker in Batman cartoons and games, but for most punters, he’ll always be the bloke with the lightsaber.

Childhood Inspirations and Lasting Impact

Hamill’s love for fantasy and adventure didn’t start with Star Wars. It goes back to his early years, long before he ever picked up a script. When asked about his all-time favourite film during a red carpet chat at the 2025 Academy Governors Awards, Hamill rattled off a few classics—Laurel and Hardy, the Our Gang shorts, and The Manchurian Candidate. But there was one that stood out above the rest. He reached back to the golden age of Hollywood and named a film that’s inspired generations of filmmakers and dreamers.

“Well, right up at the top would be the black-and-white King Kong from 1933, because that captured me as a little kid and said, ‘I want to be in a business where they make dinosaurs come to life.’”

The Magic of King Kong

That old-school monster flick, with its giant ape rampaging through New York and Fay Wray’s unforgettable scream, left a mark on Hamill that never faded. For him, it wasn’t just about the spectacle. It was about the sense of wonder and the idea that films could bring the impossible to life. King Kong’s debut nearly ninety years ago sparked the imaginations of countless future actors, directors, and special effects wizards. It planted the seeds for the next wave of horror and fantasy in Hollywood, inspiring many to chase their own creative dreams.

Plenty of remakes and monster showdowns have come and gone since, but for Hamill, nothing has ever quite matched the magic of that first encounter with King Kong. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the stories that shape us most are the ones we discover when we’re young, sitting wide-eyed in front of the screen, dreaming of worlds yet to come.