We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. Actor Mark Hamill is a national treasure. Not only for his iconic role in the Star Wars saga as Luke Skywalker, but also for his decades of voice roles in animation. And now, Mark Hamill is lending his voice as the LEGO Group’s Junior Executive Director of Information (J.E.D.I.), ready to answer their burning questions about LEGO’s new SMART Play sets.
LEGO’s new SMART Play sets are the first interactive, screen-free sets from the legendary toy company. Mark Hamill will take on the role of fans’ personal guide to the world of LEGO Star Wars SMART Play sets, revealing all the cool secrets behind this new technology that lets the galaxy play back. We had the opportunity to chat with Mark Hamill about his new role in the LEGO galaxy, as well as his fifty-year legacy as one of sci-fi’s most iconic heroes.
NERDIST: So this month marks 50 years since the original Star Wars started shooting. What do you remember most from those first days when no one knew what was coming? Back when it was just a movie, and not the movie that would change film history?
MARK HAMILL: Well, I always thought when I read the script, I couldn’t believe how original it was, how funny it was. I loved the humor, and just how effortlessly feminist it was. You know, the princess wasn’t a shrinking violet. She mouthed off to Vader, straight to his face. She took over her own rescue, and made Han and Luke look like chumps. I thought it was so original, and the very first day when I went up to Robert Watson’s office, the production manager, he said, What do you think about what we’re about to start? I said, “I think we’re on a winner,” I was always a fan of fantasy and science fiction. Especially with the added humor.
The bonus about Star Wars is that it was so loved, and [back then] people couldn’t own it on video. But there were all the toys, there were all the action figures. And now, you’ve got LEGO too. You can own a piece of Star Wars. And the only limits are your imagination. Anything you can think of, you can do with LEGO.
What’s your history with LEGO? Is there a favorite set you bought for your kids, or for yourself even?
I bought them for my kids. I’m remembering them not being specifically tied to a certain title. They were generic in the sense that you could build whatever you wanted. And it was interesting because you see the difference between what [Hamill’s oldest son] Nathan wanted to build as opposed to what Griffin wanted to build, or sometimes they’d collaborate and build them together. And that’s the thing. They’re multigenerational, because I was playing with them as they were playing with them. You can play with your grandparents, or you can play with your little brother. There’s no sort of age limit on LEGO. It’s for everyone.
Yeah, certainly a lot of adults love and collect LEGO, I think, more than kids now, even. After playing the Jedi Luke, what can you tell us about playing “Junior Executive Director of Information,” a.k.a. JEDI?
What’s that like? Well, I love that they gave me an actual title. [Hamill holds up a desk placard that says “J.E.D.I.”] I’m gonna ask you if I can keep it. Listen, I had to warn them. I said that in a way, the LEGO people know more about Star Wars than I do, the specifics. Because I see the movies when they come out, but I don’t go back and watch them again. So whenever the last one [The Rise of Skywalker] came out, was it in 2019? I haven’t seen it since. But [LEGO] knows its stuff. They started sending material, a package of their concept and the execution of what they’ve made, and I was astonished.
I mean, it’s incredible. They are really well-made. They’re toys that span the generations. And it’s so imaginative too. Back in the day, when we were playing with LEGO, it was up to us, whatever we wanted to build. But, it’s like I haven’t really followed the history of LEGO in that sense, I don’t know whether they’ve done this with other franchises, but I’m sure glad that they hooked up with Star Wars people because they’re just great toys.
Well, Star Wars and LEGO kind of go together like peanut butter and jelly, you know? Since you’re providing the voice of J.E.D.I., so to speak, I have to remind folks, this isn’t your first vocal performance for Star Wars. Aside from Luke, you’ve done a bunch of characters, and you got nominated for a Daytime Emmy for playing Sith Lord Darth Bane. How is it that they have never followed up on that? They’ve never given you more animated roles in Star Wars. There should at least be a Darth Bane animated movie or something.
Yeah, I was nominated for Darth Bane. But I only ever won [a voice acting award] for a show that no one’s ever heard of, Eleanor of Avalon. And one reason I think I won is that it was a character whose head spun around, and he had four different personalities, and they gave me this great song. So I really am grateful to Disney for that. Do you know what’s interesting? Here’s a good bar bet. Say, “Mark Hamill won an Emmy for a voiceover. What did he win it for?” Everyone will say the Joker, right? But I was never nominated for that.
Anyway, I’m not into the awards. I think it was all for the money [laughs]. Look, I set my career goals very early. When I started, all I ever wanted to be was a working stiff. You know, supporting characters, TV, movies, cartoons, whatever. I just wanted to be able to make a living, doing what I love, and I was so grateful even before anything happened that made me well known. To be able to go from the year 1970, getting my first job, to getting Star Wars in 1976? And I was really happy in those six years. I got to do so many things.
So this new LEGO SMART Play feature is very, very cool. Did you ever imagine that toys would get to this point of interactive technology?
Technology keeps improving and, you know, I keep asking my kids, “When did phones come in? When did computers come in? When was the internet?” Because you lose track of time when you’re as old as I am. And like I say, my concept of LEGO was, you know, all the bricks you need. You could buy specialized sets if you wanted to build a specific thing. But it’s amazing how they have incorporated the most modern technology. Now they have these things called a SMART Brick, that you place into the toy, and… look at what it does. [Several Star Warsy sounds come out of the toy] It’s so cool.
So there’s been like 1,000,000 Luke LEGO minifigures at this point. Do you have any, and do you have a favorite?
Well, I have this. [Holds up a classic A New Hope Tatooine Luke] Classic. Yeah. And look, at least they finally got the hair color right. When I first came out as a Kenner action figure, I had lemon yellow hair.
I remember, I had one! Yeah, why is that?
They told me, “Well, because that’s the basic color they have, and you’re considered a blonde.” Even though I have brown hair. But I didn’t care. I just loved it. I was probably the most enthusiastic about the merchandise, you know, of all of us. You know, Carrie Fisher thought it was kind of fun.
Yeah, I know Carrie Fisher talked a lot about being a shampoo bottle, and the weirdness of people twisting off their head and stuff coming out, which I always thought was funny.
Yes! [laughs] But Harrison, believe me, he didn’t care. [Does a grumpy-sounding Harrison Ford voice impression] “Whatever.” Because I’d come in and say, “Hey, look, we’re a mask on the back of a cereal box!” And he would just roll his eyes.
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On Apr. 8 from 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET, fans in the U.S. can call 1-877-80-ASK-MARK to hear the J.E.D.I. give fun facts about LEGO Star Wars SMART Play sets. A limited number of callers will also be invited to join a live video chat with Mark, as he guides them to master their creative forces and bring them to life with LEGO Star Wars SMART Play sets.
The post Mark Hamill on LEGO SMART Play and 50 Years of STAR WARS appeared first on Nerdist.
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