Mark Hamill Gets His Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
The force is strong in Hollywood as Star Wars legend Mark Hamill received his star at the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
Hamill: A 'Star Wars' Icon
Hamill, 66, has a handful of other memorable roles under his belt, but none came close to his fame as the beloved Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.
The celebrated franchise is well-represented during his ceremony with costar Harrison Ford and franchise creator George Lucas giving funny and touching tributes to the veteran actor. Star Wars actresses Kelly Marie Tran and Billie Lourd were also on hand to watch the fan-favorite Jedi get his star, along with R2-D2 and a stormtrooper on the sidelines.
Happy #JediDay! Celebrate with us as @HamillHimself gets his star on the Walk of Fame. pic.twitter.com/wOHEPzR7Lg — Star Wars (@starwars) March 8, 2018
The Hollywood veteran was ecstatic with the honor, beaming from ear to ear and addressing the crowd with a heartfelt speech that included expressing his gratitude to Lucas, Ford, and his family.
"You are with me through thick and thin and the highs and the lows and everywhere in between," Hamill says. "If it wasn't for the public I'd be nowhere. From Jedi to Joker and back again, it's been a fantastic ride. And may the Force be with all of you."
The normally succinct Ford was playful with his speech, quipping that more people showed up for Hamill's star ceremony than his. The Han Solo actor shares that he went back to watch his old screen tests with Hamill before the event and was surprised at how well the then-newbie did.
"I am very pleased for him, he has been the master of his own experience, his own life," Ford says as he caps off his speech. "He is, as he always was, a quiet, sincere, honest person ... I think he has found comfort and utility and control of his destiny, and I'm happy for you, pal."
Lucas also weighs in, praising the actor for his enthusiasm that was the quality he was looking for in Luke Skywalker.
"I'm very proud of Mark for getting his star," Lucas tells the crowd in his speech. "We've been around together for I don't want to say how many years, and we've come a long way from that casting session."
Fans Show Up For Hamill
It's not just Hamill's Star Wars colleagues who came to celebrate his Walk of Fame ceremony, but his fans also arrived in droves.
Lt. Mark Chong of the LAPD tells Los Angeles Times that Walk of Fame events do not usually need the police to step in, but they had to for Hamill's ceremony, as thousands of people were expected to show up. Even the police officers are fans of the Star Wars films, Chong points out.
Over a dozen police officers milled around the ceremony for crowd control and traffic.
