Star Wars, as a franchise, is full of lines of dialogue that have become just as iconic as the films themselves. Simply saying "I know” in the right tone of voice is enough to make fans know exactly what you’re talking about. Luke Skywalker alone has numerous great lines throughout his time in the franchise, but Mark Hamill has a favorite.

Speaking recently with ScreenRant, Hamill was asked what his favorite line as Luke Skywalker was. He has the perfect choice, one of Luke’s lines in the original Star Wars. It’s a line so iconic that it’s been used in every Star Wars movie since. Hamill said…

It’s hard not to love “I have a bad feeling about this.” It’s such a versatile line and is the sort of thing that is useful in many situations. It’s possibly been repeated more times than any other line in Star Wars, except maybe “May the Force be with you."

It’s hard to go wrong with one of the most iconic movie lines ever spoken. In the original Star Wars, Luke drops the line while the Millennium Falcon is approaching the Death Star. The line has come back, usually said exactly the same way, but occasionally modified, in every Star Wars film since. When the new trilogies were each released, the line was all but expected to be there.

Harrison Ford says the line twice, once in Return of the Jedi, and again when he returned in The Force Awakens. Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan says it in two out of three prequel films. Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams and Hayden Christensen have also said it. It was even spoken in beeps and boops when BB-8 uses the line in The Last Jedi.

The spinoff movies had more fun with the line. Droid K-2SO starts to say it, but gets cut off before he can finish it (the same thing happens in the Disney+ series Skeleton Crew). In Solo: A Star Wars Story, star Alden Ehrenreich says he has a "good feeling" about this, though that good feeling is entirely misplaced.

At this point, it’s all but expected that some version of the line will be included in upcoming Star Wars movies. One can easily imagine Ryan Gosling saying it in Star Wars: Starfighter. It will be interesting to see if somebody says it in The Mandalorian and Grogu, because though it is a Star Wars movie, it's based on a TV series. While the line has appeared in some of the Disney+ Star Wars shows, it hasn’t been in that one.

Almost 50 years ago, George Lucas’ Star Wars hit theaters, marking not only a new era for the science-fiction genre but a major event within the history of pop culture. While that 1977 flick remains a beloved piece of work, it took some time for Lucas to get it right. Mark Hamill, the man famous for playing eventual Jedi Luke Skywalker, would know those creative starts and stops better than most. The seasoned actor can actually still remember some early material that was originally meant for the film, and he’s still glad about it being left out.

It’s definitely not uncommon for Hamill to wax nostalgic about his time working on that first Star Wars movie, which is now known as Episode IV – A New Hope. He can even remember his first screen test for the film and meeting Harrison Ford (who’d get cast as Han Solo) on that day. Hamill recently shared more thoughts on that screen test while reflecting on his career with THR. Something that really stands out from that day, for him, is a scene involving Luke and Han, who share a back-and-forth that’s not in the finished film:

Even as a massive fan of George Lucas and his work, I have no problem admitting that that’s some incredibly wooden dialogue, and it was better off being left out of A New Hope. There are, however, still plenty of lines in that first film that do sound a bit preposterous even for a space opera. Still, I wouldn’t say any of those words are worse than the conversation Mark Hamill describes above, and he had some more thoughts to share about it:

George Lucas’ writing has long been a subject of discussion, particularly when it comes to his screenplays for the Prequel Trilogy. Lucas himself even acknowledged that some of his lines are indeed “corny” but also said that a great deal of it is intentional, as it’s meant to mimic dialogue from 1930s westerns and serials. Anakin Skywalker actor Hayden Christensen is among those to defend Lucas’ writing skills and the way he works with actors. Mark Hamill also shared a take on how George finds talent:

It’s always interesting to hear these anecdotes from Hamill, who initially didn’t even realize he was the lead in Star Wars. There may have indeed been some growing pains, from a creative standpoint, but I’d say everything worked out just fine. In the years since, the franchise has become so big that Hamill has even reprised Luke on multiple occasions, though it seems unlikely he’ll return in the upcoming Rey movie.

Looking back on the movie that launched Star Wars, though, I’d say it’s a good that some dialogue didn’t make the cut. Yes, some of the words that did stay on the page aren’t perfect, but they still contribute to one of the most influential films in the history of cinema. Fans can check out A New Hope as well as the rest of the Skywalker Saga using a Disney+ subscription.

Mark Hamill may be done playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, but that doesn’t mean he’s not having any more Star Wars moments in his life. Case in point, there’s a new video of the actor yelling at a Darth Vader performer on the streets of Hollywood. It’s great to watch, and frankly, Vader kind of deserves it after everything he put Luke, his own son, through during the Original Trilogy.

We have Jimmy Kimmel Live! to thank for this moment, as the show’s title host recruited Hamill to pretend to be a superfan of, well, himself, while standing next to his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The goal was to see how many people would recognize him, and check out how that turned out (skip to the 11 minutes and 43 seconds mark):

As you can see, Mark Hamill did the bare minimum to disguise himself, merely donning a baseball cap and some glasses. And yet, that was apparently enough, because most of the people in the video didn’t realize they were talking to the real deal. I especially got a kick out of Hamill using the disposable camera and drawing attention to his more obscure body of work, like Corvette Summer and his guest role on The Partridge Family.

But the best part of the video came when the aforementioned Darth Vader performer, one of many people on Hollywood Boulevard who wear costumes and earn money from posing for pictures with people, walked by, prompting Mark Hamill to exclaim, “Dad, I told you don’t follow me to work! Good grief!” I’d like to think the person underneath the helmet had an expression of utter confusion on their face, although depending on how big of a Star Wars fan they are, maybe they would have recognized him. Still, I commend Hamill’s quick thinking coming up with a funny line for that moment.

The second-best moment in the video was when Hamill donned a shirt with his own face and name emblazoned on it, but most everyone who passed him still didn’t bat an eye. Then, even when that young woman recognized him and took a selfie with him, he still tried to pass off that he wasn’t actually Hamill. She didn’t look like bought it though, and her brother, to whom she sent the picture, immediately knew that his sister had met one of the most well-known Star Wars actors.

This Jimmy Kimmel Live! segment concluding with Mark Hamill saying that doing that bit on Hollywood Boulevard was a “wake-up call” reminding him that “fame is fleeting.” Don’t worry, Mr. Hamill, we here at CinemaBlend will always recognize you. You can hear Hamill voicing The Flying Dutchman in The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, which is now playing in theaters, and revisit his Star Wars appearances with your Disney+ subscription.

Unlike people a few years (or decades) older than me, my first introduction to Mark Hamill wasn’t through Star Wars but instead Batman: The Animated Series. The legendary actor’s take on the Joker in the all-time great cartoon will always be my favorite version of the Clown Prince of Crime, as well as my go-to Hamill performance. Well, now I have another role to add to the list of great and unforgettable voice performances from Luke Skywalker: The Flying Dutchman in The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.

Going into the new 2025 movie, I somehow avoided all the news that Hamill was going to be playing the villainous, ghostly pirate trying to trick SpongeBob SquarePants. Little did I know before walking into the movie that I’d be seeing one of the funniest kids movies of the year, but also Hamill’s best villain role in years. Let me explain…

Mark Hamill’s Take On The Flying Dutchman Was Out Of This World

I recently stumbled upon an interview Mark Hamill gave on Kelly & Mark Live talked about how much fun he had playing the Flying Dutchman (he replaced Brian Doyle Murray, who had voiced the role for years) in the new SpongeBob movie, and his comments make total sense. I kid you not, Hamill’s performance is out of this world and one of the most bonkers and hilarious things I’ve experienced all year.

Whether it’s when he’s trying to escape the underworld by tricking the gullible SpongeBob into switching places following an absurdly long and difficult challenge, or when he’s being a real jerk to his ghostly crew, the character is just all kinds of ridiculous. You can tell Hamill was having fun, and it makes the performance that much more hilarious.

The Performance Is Up There With His Joker From Batman: The Animated Series

Don’t get me wrong, I love everything that Mark Hamill has been doing in recent years (his work in multiple 2025 Stephen King movies was outstanding), but his Flying Dutchman was above and beyond my favorite thing he’s done in years. In fact, I’d put this right up there with his version of the Joker, he’s played for well over 30 years now. The inflections in his voice, the personality he adds to the character, and the sense of enjoyment and fun that comes through his performance are just something.

While the spectre doesn’t rob any banks with oversized guns, get away from Batman after the Batmobile lost its wheels, or get in the head of Caped Crusader like “Mr. J” in the Arkham games, SpongeBob’s foil is devilish, cunning, and just so dang entertaining. A movie, especially one with a hero’s journey, is only as great as its villain, and Hamill’s Flying Dutchman does just that.

Near the end of the movie, Mark Hamill is dressed up like the Flying Dutchman in one of the most genuinely insane and entertaining sequences I’ve seen all year. No, it’s not super off-putting like the live-action scenes in The Plankton Movie, but instead like a real-life Scooby-Doo chase that left everyone in the theater in stitches.

Go see The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Not only is it a great way to spend time with your kids (and watch the amazing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey), but also your opportunity to experience one of Mark Hamill’s best performances ever.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Search For SquarePants just arrived as one of the last 2025 movie releases. It’s a real treat for longtime fans of the show, because it’s the first time The Flying Dutchman is the villain on the big screen. CinemaBlend chatted with the voices of SpongeBob and Patrick, Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke about the long-running character, and I learned so much about the ghostly pirate.

Tom Kenny Talks The Origins Of The Flying Dutchman

Have you ever wondered why The Flying Dutchman is in SpongeBob to begin with? Here’s what Tom Kenny (aka the voice of SpongeBob) had to say:

Of course, The Flying Dutchman didn’t start on SpongeBob, though it might tend to be introduced to kids that way these days. It’s a piece of Dutch maritime folklore from the 17th century. In the folktale, the captain of the ship apparently defied God or the Devil, and he and his crew received the fate of eternal damnation in return. Apparently Hillenburg was fascinated with pirate lore and decided it would be fun to add a comedic version of The Flying Dutchman to the TV show. Kenny also said this:

Mark Hamill takes on the role of The Flying Dutchman in Search For Squarepants, and that turns into another great SpongeBob live-action cameo. As far as the history of The Flying Dutchman in SpongeBob, the character first appeared on TV screens in Season 1, Episode 11 “Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost” briefly in a comic book. His physical debut is two episodes later in "Scaredy Pants,” when he tells patrons of the Krusty Krab to stop dressing like him for Halloween.

Kenny And Bill Fagerbakke Share Early Memories Of The Character

When I asked the voices of SpongeBob and Patrick, who’ve been working together for over 25 years now, they shared their first memories with The Flying Dutchman. As Kenny added:

Oh, that’s an popular one. He’s talking about “Shanghaied” from Season 2, where SpongeBob and Patrick have to escape being captured by The Flying Dutchman. It’s definitely one of those episodes that has become a meme, so I’m not surprised his mind went there. Here’s what Fagerbakke had to say:

The Flying Dutchman is such a hilarious and fun character, so it’s no wonder he’s been a staple of the show for so long. You can see what adventure he leads SpongeBob and Patrick on in The SpongeBob Movie: The Search For SquarePants, in theaters now.

This year has been a pretty good one for family friendly movies, with options like The Minecraft Movie, KPop Demon Hunters and the SpongeBob spinoff Plankton (streaming with a Netflix subscription), to name a few. But before we flip over to the 2026 movie calendar, there’s one more animated option — and it’s one that might appeal to viewers of all ages — The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Critics have seen the latest movie based on the popular Nicktoon, and they say we’re in for some “nautical nonsense.”

The previous SpongeBob SquarePants movies have been a lot of fun, and in his latest adventure, the titular sea sponge goes on an adventure through The Underworld with ghost pirate The Flying Dutchman in order to prove he’s a “big guy.” Hold on to your lucky bricks, because Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert rates the movie a perfect 4 out of 4 stars, calling it “sublimely silly” and writing:

Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue is equally delighted with the movie, giving it 4 out of 5 bubbles. More than just a cash grab, Search for SquarePants feels like a warm hug and even sneaks a meaningful message into the adventure. Leishman writes:

Soren Andersen of the Seattle Times rates it 3 out of 4 stars, writing that audiences of all ages will appreciate its nonstop action and giggle at the below-the-belt rudeness. In Anderson’s words:

For Luke Darling of The Only Critic, the movie earns a B for its “absolutely stunning” animation and an ability to keep both kids and adults engaged. Its one hiccup, Darling says, is “a relentless amount of butt jokes.” It’s not the sophomoric nature of the jokes, but the fact that the same gags are repeated multiple times throughout the film. The critic continues:

Alison Foreman of IndieWire gives it a C, writing that The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants looks and feels like imitation seafood, but director Derek Drymon produces a colorful, witty wasteland, proving the pineapple dweller is still enjoyable. Foreman says:

It sounds like younger moviegoers and older fans who grew up with SpongeBob should find a lot to like in The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants — depending on your mileage for butt jokes, apparently. This latest theatrical spinoff is out on big screens as of Friday, December 19, if you want to check it out.

There are a lot of people in the world who would have trouble not going all “fanboy” if they ever met Mark Hamill. Lord knows I would be one of them. One would think that, by this point in his career, Hamill has seen so many other stars so often that there’s nobody who would get him excited, but it turns out he’s a big fan of Sigourney Weaver, a.k.a. Alien's Ellen Ripley.

The beginning of Star Wars and the future of Star Wars recently converged when Luke Skywalker met one of the cast of The Mandalorian and Grogu. Hamill says in a post on Bluesky that he went “all fanboy” when he met Sigourney Weaver recently, saying…

Mark Hamill is far from the only one who became a huge fan of Sigourney Weaver after seeing Alien. It's one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, and it, like the original Star Wars, launched a franchise that is still going strong to this day.

In much the same way that Hamill is seemingly done with Star Wars, Sigourney Weaver has likely put the Alien franchise behind her. However, she’s recently jumped ship to become part of the galaxy, far, far away, something Hamill apparently wasn't aware of until now.

The picture, however, is priceless. It honestly really does give the “fan boy” vibes pretty strongly, as Mark Hamill is clearly excited, while Sigourney Weaver actually looks a little shocked by the whole experience.

I've loved Sigourney Weaver ever since one of my all-time favorite movies, ALIEN. Couldn't resist going all fanboy on her yesterday & asking for a photo. She told me she's now in the cast of The Mandalorian. Talk about bad timing: she's now in that galaxy far, far away, years after I checked out! 💔

— @markhamillofficial.bsky.social (@markhamillofficial.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-12-09T22:22:41.363Z

This isn't Hamill's first fanboy moment. He's also written about the way he freaked out a bit upon meeting former Beatle George Harrison. This puts Sigourney Weaver in some pretty impressive company.

We’ve seen a bit of Sigourney Weaver in the first trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, though it’s unclear exactly how big her role is. She's explained that her character is a former Rebel pilot who is now trying to help maintain order on the Outer Rim of the galaxy, where The Mandalorian and Grogu do most of their work.

It is a bit weird seeing her in the world of Star Wars considering how iconic she was in a different sci-fi franchise that started in the 1970s. As much as Alien and Star Wars have in common, they are also wildly different science fiction films.

Still, this is a great picture of two absolute sci-fi legends. It would be wonderful if they could do something together at some point. Maybe they could launch an entirely new franchise together. I’d certainly watch that.

Star Wars is one of the most iconic films ever made. It revolutionized cinema in a major way and also made star Mark Hamill a global superstar. However, none of that was apparently on the mind of Hamill’s future wife, Marilou York, when she saw Star Wars for the first time. She was more concerned with teeth.

In a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Mark Hamill, whose new film, The Long Walk, is in theaters, discussed meeting his wife, to whom he has been married for nearly 50 years. She was his dental hygienist, and the actor explained that he invited her to an early screening of his new movie. Although he may not have been entirely accurate when describing to her. Hamill said…

It’s unclear whether being “exactly like Star Trek” was a selling point to York or not. To be fair, a lot of people probably went into a movie called Star Wars thinking it would be similar to Star Trek. Those people hopefully weren’t too disappointed by the reality.

Whatever she thought of the movie as a whole, York, being a dental hygienist, apparently tended to talk about teeth and focus on them at various points. Hamill said she cleaned the teeth of many famous people due to her location near Hollywood, and apparently, even when watching Star Wars, she was focused on teeth. Hamill continued…

Bonus points to Mark Hamill, who remembered the name of character actor Richard LeParmentier, who played Admiral Motti, off the top of his head. To be fair, Motti is one of the better-remembered side characters in Star Wars entirely because of this scene.

I suppose one of the things about watching a movie on a big screen is that it means the teeth of the actors are much more visible. Of course, now I want to know Marilou York's ranking of the best teeth in Star Wars. We have lists of the best ships in Star Wars and the best characters in Star Wars. Where's the definitive listicle of the best teeth in Star Wars? Where does her husband rank?

I also have so many more questions about dental care in the galaxy far, far away than I ever considered having. Are there dentists in the Empire? What sort of tools do they have? Why does an important member of the Galactic Empire not have good caps on his teeth? He can surely afford it, right?

Voice acting is its own special skill that not all actors can pull off. Sometimes great live-action stars make the crossover, and some of them are listed here. Other times, actors who are primarily voice actors appear in live action roles, and you might not know what they look like, even when you know their voice (or, more often, voices). Those actors are also represented on this list of popular voice actors who you probably have seen before, even if you didn't know it.

Yeardley Smith

Yeardley Smith is, of course, best known as the voice of Lisa Simpson, who, for me, is the most underrated character in The Simpsons. Like many of her castmates on the legendary cartoon, she started from the beginning of The Tracey Ullman Show. You may also know her as the pregnant cashier who crashes the party at the beginning of City Slickers, among other roles in live-action movies and TV shows.

Christine Cavanaugh

The late Christine Cavanaugh was the original voice for Chuckie in Rugrats and Dexter in Dexter's Laboratory. Though she retired very young due to health reasons, you might also know her as injured football player Steve Remo's wife Jerry Maguire.

John DiMaggio

One of the most prolific voice actors on this list, John DiMaggio, is well known for his work as Bender in Futurama, and a whole ton of movies like Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph, Despicable Me 4, and many more. You may also have seen him as Fenwick in the AMC show Interview With A Vampire, or Dan on Mythic Quest, which you can watch with an AppleTV+ subscription.

Diedrich Bader

Diedrich Bader has made quite a career for himself as a voice-over actor, with dozens of credits. His best-known work is probably in the DC Universe, where he has been Batman/Bruce Wayne in many animated shows across the universe. He's also done work as Lex Luther, The Green Lantern, and other DC characters. On the live-action side, he's probably most famous for his role on The Drew Carey Show, but he also has memorable roles in the movies Office Space, as Peter's neighbor, and The Beverly Hillbilllies, as Jethro, among others.

Nancy Cartwright

Certainly, Nancy Cartwright is most famous as the voice of Bart Simpson, but that's hardly her only role in The Simpsons. She's also been the voice of Chuckie in Rugrats since 2002, and has done numerous other voice roles on TV and in movies. As for live action, she played a role in the "It's A Good Life" segment of 1983's Twilight Zone: The Movie, and appeared in tons of sitcoms and other shows over the years, like Cheers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and the ill-fated spin-off Baywatch Nights. Okay, that last one isn't technically a comedy.

Breckin Meyer

On the live-action side of things, Breckin Meyer will probably always be first remembered for the role of the stoner Travis Birkenstock in Clueless. It's a truly iconic role in a legendary movie at this point. He's also been very busy over the years doing voice-over work, most notably in Robot Chicken episodes, where he is a multi-Emmy-nominated actor.

David Herman

David Herman has been a voice-over actor on some of the most beloved cartoons in recent years like Bob's Burgers, King of the Hill, and Futurama. Many years ago, he became part of movie history as Michael Bolton in Office Space.

Phil LaMarr

Phil LaMarr has been a cast member in a ton of legendary cartoons. In addition to multiple roles in the DC world, including The Green Lantern, he also played big recurring roles in The Family Guy (as Ollie Williams), The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius (Bolbi Stroganofsky), Futurama (Hermes Conrad), and many others. He was also a member of the cast of MadTV, and maybe most famously, he played the ill-fated Marvin in Pulp Fiction.

Alanna Ubach

Alanna Ubach has found a lot of balance between her voice acting on shows like The Spectacular Spider-Man, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, and Pound Puppies, plus movies like Rango and Coco. She's also done plenty of live-action work in shows like Beakman's World, Eli Stone, and Euphoria, where she plays Suze.

Hank Azaria

This is an actor who really needs no introduction. Hank Azaria has been in dozens of live-action roles, of course, but it still probably best known for the dozens of voices he does on The Simpsons.

Cedric Yarbrough

Cedric Yarbrough's breakout role came as Deputy Jones on Reno 911!, but you may also know his voice as Tom DuBois and Colonel H. Stinkmeaner in The Boondocks and Chocolate Giddy-up in Black Dynamite. Like others on this list, he's also done work in the DC world, as Firestorm and other characters.

Harry Shearer

Harry Shearer is a Hollywood vet whose career dates back to the 1960s. He's best known for his live-action roles in This Is Spinal Tap (and its 2025 sequel), and some of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries, like The Mighty Wind. As a voice actor, he is certainly most famous as multiple characters on The Simpsons, including Principal Skinner, Mr. Burns, and many others.

Richard Steven Horvitz

Richard Steven Horvitz's voice is most recognizable to Mighty Morphin Power Ranger fans. He's provided the voice for Alpha 5 for years over multiple properties. As for movie roles you may know, he played Alan Eakian, the dorky, nerdy character in the Mark Harmon-led classic '80s comedy Summer School.

Stephen Root

One of my favorite character actors of all time is Stephen Root. He's been in some of my favorite movies and TV shows like Newsradio, O Brother Where Art Thou, and, of course, Office Space. He's also done a bunch of voice work in projects like Finding Dory, Finding Nemo, and various roles in the DC animated universe.

Trey Parker

Trey Parker is the co-creator and star of South Park, of course. Do I really need to say more about his voice work (he does lots of voices on the show)? He's worked a fair amount in his own live-action stuff as well, most famously BASEketball.

Matt Stone

Like his partner, Trey Parker, Matt Stone is most famous for the show he co-created, South Park. Like Parker, he writes and does many voices in the show, and like Parker, he's also starred in the live-action BASEketball and other movies.

Dan Castellaneta

The voice of Homer Simpson, provided by Dan Castellaneta, is one of the most recognizable voices in television history. Castellaneta even invented the word "D'oh," which is now in the Oxford English Dictionary. He's also appeared in a lot of sitcoms, as part of the live-action cast of The Tracy Ullman Show, and tons of one-offs in Married... With Children, Friends, Arrested Development, The Office, and others. He's also been in a bunch of movies like The Client, The War Of The Roses, Say Anything..., and Space Jam, for starters.

Alex Bornstein

You certainly know her from her voice as Lois on The Family Guy, but you also know her face as Susie on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Alex Borstein started her career doing voices in the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers before becoming a part of the original cast of MadTV. Like a few others on this list, she's split time pretty equally between live-action and voice work.

John Ratzenberger

Hey Normie, did you know that John Ratzenberger is known as Pixar's good luck charm? The actor, who is most famous for playing Cliff on Cheers, has appeared in almost every Pixar film going back to Toy Story. As such, he's actually one of the most successful actors ever when you add up the box office totals of his movies.

Ed Asner

Ed Asner was pretty famous before he really leaned into doing voice work, but for a generation of people, he'll always be best known as the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Up and for his voice work on shows and movies like The Boondocks, All-Star Superman, Christmas Is Here Again, and in live-action work like playing Santa in Elf, in addition to his most famous TV role, Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Julie Kavner

There are plenty of members of the Simpsons cast on this list, including Julie Kavner, who has been the voice of Marge and her sister Patty, and Selma since the beginning. She's also had a long career on screen, including the Nora Ephron-directed This is My Life in 1992 and Awakenings, alongside Robin Williams in 1990. She's also in 2025's Ella McCay, directed by Simpson's co-creator James L. Brooks.

Bill Farmer

Bill Farmer is an actor who has spent most of his career behind the microphone doing voice work. He's been the voice of popular Disney characters like Goofy and Pluto for decades now. He's also done voices for The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Robot Chicken, and others. You might, if you're a fan of the still politically relevant RoboCop like I am, know him for his small role as a reporter in the Paul Verhoeven-directed '80s action flick.

David Faustino

Though he started acting as a child, David Faustino's big break came when he was cast as Bud Bundy in Married... with Children. These days, he has become one of the most in-demand voice actors, working on the Winx Club franchise, 2023's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and shows like The Legend of Korra, Robot Chicken, and DreamWorks Dragons.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane has created an incredible career after breaking out as the creator, writer, and main voice actor on Family Guy, as well as its spin-offs and related shows like The Cleveland Show and American Dad. He also wrote and directed Ted, providing the voice of the bear, of course. On the live-action side, his best-known role came in The Orville as Captain Ed Mercer.

Clancy Brown

For the last three decades, Clancy Brown has been the main voice of Lex Luthor in various DC animated shows and movies. He's also dabbled in Marvel shows and done plenty of Disney projects as well. He's also a very in-demand character actor, appearing in shows like HBO's The Penguin, Showtime's Dexter: New Blood, Netflix's Daredevil, and so much more.

Mila Kunis

To be fair, Mila Kunis is more well-known for her live-action work than her voice list, as is the case with a few of the people on this list. She is, of course, the voice of Meg on The Family Guy. Her other work on TV and the big screen is well known, like That '70s Show, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Friends with Benefits, and Bad Moms. She's also done voice work on Robot Chicken.

Gary Anthony Williams

Comedian Gary Anthony Williams is beloved for his role as Uncle Ruckus in The Boondocks and for his role as Mr. Dos on Special Agent Oso. He's also a regular contributor on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and in movies like Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Block Party.

Mark Hamill

For most people, Mark Hamill will always be Luke Skywalker first, last, and only. But fans of the actor know that his career has been far more varied. Fans of the DC animated movies may love him for being the voice of The Joker in many shows and movies as much as they love him for his role in the Star Wars movies.

Seth Green

One of my all-time favorite movies is Can't Hardly Wait, and Seth Green's character Kenny Fisher is a big reason why. He's probably most famous for playing Scott in the Austin Powers movies, but he's also a well-respected voice actor, as the co-creator of Robot Chicken, and for roles like Howard the Duck in the Marvel movies.

E. G. Daily

Without a doubt, E. G. Daily is best known as the voice of Tommy Pickles in Rugrats. Daily has dozens of voice credits beyond that, in shows like The Powerpuff Girls, Julius Jr., Curious George, and more. She started in Hollywood doing more live-action work in roles like the singer in Better Off Dead, one of the best dark comedies of the '80s.

Laraine Newman

As one of the original "not ready for primetime players" on Saturday Night Live, Laraine Newman will always be a big part of television history. Later in her career, she has done a ton of work for Pixar in movies like Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Inside Out.

Carlos Alazraqui

Did you know the voice of the Taco Bell Chihuahua was one of the cast members of Reno 911? Yup, Carlos Alazraqui, who played Garcia on the Comedy Central show, was behind the voice who said "Yo quiero Taco Bell" back in the '90s. He's got dozens of other voice credits, but you can't deny how great that bit of trivia is.

The horror genre has been thriving for years now, but there are certain franchises that are more infamous than beloved. The Human Centipede isn't usually included in best horror movies lists, mostly thanks to its nauseating concept and unsettling imagery. It turns out that the great Mark Hamill was offered a role in the sequel... and it did not go well. Let's break it all down.

Hamill is best known for the Star Wars movies (which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription), but he takes other projects, including horror ones like Fall of The House of Usher. In an interview with EW, the 73 year-old icon revealed that he was asked to join The Human Centipede 2. He had a strong reaction to this offer, as he put it:

That was pretty cut and dry. It sounds like, upon hearing what the Human Centipede franchise was about, Hamill wanted nothing to do with Tom Six's gory property. In fact, he didn't even want to have to read the script. Considering just how disturbing the sequel Full Sequence was to watch, I think he might have made the correct decision.

The first Human Centipede followed three people who were surgically attached mouth to anus in order to become a centipede-like entity. The sequel is one of the most upsetting movies I've ever seen, as the violence and sheer amount of victims was multiplied. And seeing the great Mark Hamill included would have been wild.

Later in the same interview, Hamill spoke more about how even the biggest horror experts couldn't get through the Human Centipede films. In his words:

In the end Six would make the horror franchise into a bonafide trilogy, with a third movie ending the disturbing story for good. Hamill never joined the fun, but he's worked in horror in other ways. The beloved actor has had a varied resume, but the concept of The Human Centipede (understandably) was too strange and disgusting for him.

The Human Centipede franchise is streaming on AMC+. 2025 has been a good year for scary movies, and there are still some upcoming horror movies to look forward to.

The Long Walk is one of many Stephen King adaptations coming in 2025, and strangely enough, it's the second one this year to have Mark Hamill involved. While fans are stoked to see him back in an adaptation of the grim adventure in the author's works, few were as hype as the young cast of the dystopian film, all of whom were ready to talk to Luke Skywalker about Star Wars.

I had a chance to speak to actors Garrett Wareing and Tut Nyuot about The Long Walk, and had to know how long it took them (or others) to approach Hamill and ask him what he knew about any upcoming Star Wars projects, as well as seeking out stories from his many years in the franchise. Wareing talked about how the movie's sizeable cast of youngsters followed headlines about Hamill's involvement, and was quick to pounce when they saw the famed actor arrive on set:

Mark Hamill was seemingly as kind as could be, but had to give a reminder that he was there to work more than share anecdotes. It looks like he was indeed granted that time to get into his monologue and drill down on playing The Major. He's as chilling in the trailer as anything I've seen so far, so it was quite the worthwhile rehearsal period.

Wareing had nothing but kind things to say about Mark Hamill, who was by his account, a joy to work with. He showered the actor with praise and noted that they did get their Star Wars questions asked:

Those stories about Mark Hamill's days on the Star Wars set probably were needed, given just how dark the source material is. The screenwriter has promised the movie pulls no punches, and that's apparent enough in the footage we've seen so far.

The Long Walk adaptation hails from The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence, but the story itself predates the existence of that story, others like it, and the concept of reality television. Now, the story of a group of men all signing up to be the sole survivor in a walk that doesn't end until only one remains all for a lavish prize, doesn't just sound feasible, it feels like something we'd stream with a Netflix subscription.

It's a great premise that is relevant in modern times, though when it was written, it was an allegory about the Vietnam War and the draft. It doesn't seem as though the adaptation is going to lean on that allegory as much, but as mentioned, there's plenty more happening in society today that makes the story work in a way it might not have back then. I'm excited to watch it, as well as the rest of Stephen King adaptations on the way this year.

The Long Walk is in theaters on September 12th. I would watch the trailer first before buying a ticket if you're squeamish, but I think I'm going to be there regardless despite my weak stomach.

Mark Hamill is easily one of the most recognizable actors of all time, and he has more than a few notable film and TV credits to his name. Obviously, Hamill is revered for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, and he’s a prolific voice actor with countless credits under his belt. The 73-year-old actor continues to find success in the entertainment industry today but, as it turns out, he nearly retired from acting following The Rise of Skywalker. That changed, however, and fans have Mike Flanagan to thank.

CinemaBlend was fortunate enough to be present at the San Diego Comic-Con panel for the upcoming horror film The Long Walk, which is set to hit the 2025 movie schedule later this year. During the panel, Mark Hamill spoke to fans – alongside the rest of the cast and crew – about what they could expect from the dystopian flick. It was during the discussion that he also talked about why he initially decided to step away from live-action acting once the Star Wars sequel trilogy came to a close in 2019:

Honestly, it would’ve been somewhat poetic for Mark Hamill to bid farewell to acting after saying goodbye to Luke Skywalker. After all, it was Hamill’s turn as the farm boy-turned-rebel-turned-jedi that made him into a household name. Plus, as the DCAU alum stated, he would’ve continued to do some voice-over gigs. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t have been a shame not to have seen Hamill do any more on-camera work. Hamill’s career has changed, though, when he was cast in Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher:

As part of that small-screen take on Edgar Allen Poe’s famous short story (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription), Mark Hamill plays the role of family fixer and lawyer Arthur Gordon Pym, and he plays it to perfection. That isn’t the only time that Hamill would participate in a Flanagan-helmed production either. Later, Hamill and Flanagan teamed up again for the latter’s film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck, for which Hamill also received praise.

The Joker voice actor has been more than a little busy over the past several years, as he’s taken on both live-action roles and voice-over work. Of course, he’s even since reprised Luke Skywalker in a way, as his likeness and voice were used to recreate a younger version of the character on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Hamill is now playing the Major in The Long Walk, which is a Stephen King adaptation directed by Francis Lawrence. The character serves as an antagonist and, by all accounts, he’s quite brutal.

Not only do I love that Mark Hamill is still doing on-camera work, but I also appreciate the gratitude he has for Mike Flanagan. This seems like a situation in which “game recognizes game,” and I love seeing that. I’ll also have to see Hamill in The Long Walk, which opens in theaters on September 12. Those who’d like to catch up on Hamill’s Star Wars work in the meantime can stream the films and shows on Disney+.

If you thought author Stephen King was good at weaving a dark and dreary story, you should check out the works of his dark half, Richard Bachman. The pseudonym King penned some of his grittier tales with, two of “the Bachman Books” have been adapted for the road of 2025 movies ahead. This September’s The Long Walk is the earlier entry of the two, and from the looks of its previous trailer, it already seemed like a dour affair.

So leave it to the folks at Lionsgate’s marketing department to say, “Hold my pen,” and drop what looks like an even more depressing reel during its San Diego Comic Con panel. In premise alone, The Long Walk is heartbreaking, as a pack of youths who volunteer for the titular competition have but two choices: walk or die. However, this trailer shows the truly tragic journey that lies ahead.

Among the cast of competitors are Saturday Night’s Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, fresh off of his impressive role in last summer’s Alien: Romulus. And therein lies my new emotional pain point with this upcoming Stephen King movie; one that's inspired both my and frequent King adapter Mike Flanagan's curiosity.

As you see in both trailers, protagonist Raymond Garraty (Cooper Hoffman) and new friend Peter McVries (David Jonsson) seem to be bonding together in the face of this darkness. However, this new trailer introduces what looks like a wrinkle in these plans.

Not only does Peter lay down the rule that “you should never make friends on The Long Walk,” he’s also shown actively befriending and guiding Raymond through his quest to win. Which only makes this line from Cooper Hoffman’s character even more panic-inducing:

What follows that bombshell of a line are quick snippets of harrowing imagery - one such moment being David Jonsson screaming in anguish. Whether it’s because Raymond Garraty sacrifices himself or betrays Peter McVries in his own favor, The Long Walk looks like it’s basically Stephen King’s version of The Fox and the Hound.

Of course, the big difference is the fact that this novel is built on a potent allegory of the Vietnam War. So yeah, not exactly doing the tear ducts any favors when imagining Copper and Tod in the middle of a battlefield.

Also, with CinemaBlend’s resident King Beat correspondent Eric Eisenberg’s “flabergasted” disbelief that The Long Walk was even made, it kind of sounds like your older sibling trying to warn you about the darkness ahead. That claim is doubly appropriate when reading how Mr. Eisenberg feels that this could be 2025's most hardcore Stephen King adaptation.

That's appropriate, considering that I’ve never read The Long Walk. I fully intend to do so in order to further my crash course in King. Of course, the question is, do I digest this tragic tome before the cinematic adaptation’s September 12th release date, or wait to experience this potential heartbreak fresh in the cinema? That question is for Stephen King, and only Stephen King to answer - just because I want to see if he's actually reading.

Luke Skywalker’s reclusive, broken state in Star Wars: The Last Jedi was only one of the many reasons audiences had issues with the flick. Some fans embraced the portrayal of a weathered Jedi master disillusioned with the Force, while others were less enthusiastic. The most extreme fans even sent death threats to director Rian Johnson. But it turns out Mark Hamill had his own idea for how his iconic character could have ended up on that lonely island, and his version is significantly darker (and maybe even better) than what we saw on screen.

Mark Hamill recently took part in an interview on NPR’s Bullseye with Jesse Thorn (posted to NPR’s official YouTube channel) to promote his 2025 movie release, The Life of Chuck. During the chat, Hamill opened up about his original take on why Luke would walk away from everything. He envisioned a personal tragedy so painful that not even the Force could bring him back from it:

It’s brutal. And honestly? It’s the kind of emotional gut-punch that would’ve brought a whole new layer of depth to Luke’s exile. Instead of a Jedi knight hiding out because of a failed student and a terrifying Force vision, the Fall of the House of Usher star imagined a man who walked away from his beliefs because he couldn’t live with the consequences of love and loss. It’s not just about failure, but grief. That shift in motivation would’ve grounded Luke’s retreat in something deeply human, and frankly, devastating.

To be clear, Hamill didn’t suggest this as a criticism of director Rian Johnson’s story. In fact, he’s spoken often about ultimately trusting Johnson’s vision, even if he initially disagreed. However, this alternative idea presents a fascinating “what if” scenario, one that could have added haunting emotional complexity to Luke’s character arc in The Last Jedi.

There’s something poetic about it, too. Luke, who once represented hope and light for an entire generation, undone not by a galactic war or cosmic prophecy, but by something as simple—and devastating—as family tragedy. It’s not about Jedi versus Sith. It’s about a man broken by love, and possibly, his own guilt.

Would Disney ever approve of such a tragic backstory? Perhaps not, as it's quite a dark interpretation. However, given the serious and sometimes dark tones of some Star Wars shows, like the critically acclaimed Andor (available to stream with a Disney+ subscription), it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility. The SW saga includes numerous characters who commit terrible acts, most notably, Anakin Skywalker, who, in Revenge of the Sith, slaughtered an entire group of Younglings, albeit off-screen.

Mark Hamill’s idea presents a compelling piece of character development that could have worked well on-screen. It would have reframed Luke’s isolation not as a sign of cowardice or failure, but rather as a period of mourning.

Perhaps it was never meant for canon. But, in true Jedi fashion, Hamill trusted his instincts and imagined something that—while heartbreaking—rings with emotional truth. And maybe that’s what Luke Skywalker needed more than anything: not just a moment of redemption, but a moment of real, unfiltered humanity.

Mark Hamill’s latest project, the new book-to-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s novella The Life of Chuck, is currently showing in theaters. Be sure to check your local listings. Anyone who wants to check out The Last Jedi can also stream it on Disney+.

The career of Mark Hamill is multi-faceted, from his time as legendary Jedi warrior Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise to his epic career in voice-over (the great highlight being his time as the Joker in various animated Batman movies and video games), but 2025 will be remembered for his link with the work of Stephen King. In a year of six total adaptations, Hamill stars in two of them: Mike Flanagan’s powerful drama The Life Of Chuck and Francis Lawrence’s horrifying thriller The Long Walk. It marks the second and third time that the actor has been in a King film… but if you don’t remember the first, it’s understandable. After all, it was over 30 years ago, and Hamill himself almost forgot.

For this week’s edition of The King Beat, my lead story is a fun conversation I recently had with Mark Hamill about his personal history with King during the Los Angeles press day for The Life Of Chuck, but that headline is joined by an in-depth look at the first trailer for MGM+’s The Institute – which will be debuting its first two episodes in just a few weeks. As always, there’s a lot to discuss, so without further ado, let’s dig in!

Mark Hamill Made His Stephen King Movie Debut In Sleepwalkers, But He Forgot About It Until Being Recently Reminded

On a cliffside property overlooking a beach in Bodega Bay, California, cops and spectators gather around a house with horrific exterior decoration: a bunch of cats have been slaughtered and hung up on strings. Jenkins, the lead officer on the scene, wearing a light blue uniform and sporting a thick mustache and slicked back blond hair, enters the house with his partner and finds another killed feline, but the place is otherwise abandoned. There is a low moaning coming from behind a closet door that turns out to be a trapped cat (a tried-and-true jump scare)… but with the animal, they also discover the mummified corpse of a young girl, and they are mystified to find a rose tucked behind her ear.

This is the opening scene from director Mick Garris’ Sleepwalkers, the first movie based on an original screenplay written by Stephen King, who also makes an appearance in the film. The actor who plays Jenkins is none other than Mark Hamill – who is uncredited but easily recognized. Being the nerd that I am, I’ve always wondered about the origins of this cameo, so I naturally felt compelled to ask Hamill about it late last month during the Life Of Chuck press day.

Paired for interviews with co-star Benjamin Pajak, Hamill explained that there isn’t any big “story” behind his brief appearance in the Sleepwalkers prologue; he simply admired the talents of Mick Garris, and when he was asked to play a small role, he was happy to say yes:

Thirty-three years later, he is playing much more significant parts in a pair of new Stephen King movies – and the best thing about the roles is that they truly couldn’t be more different. In The Life Of Chuck, Mark Hamill plays the grandfather to the titular character, who raises him through his adolescence. He can be strict, and he drinks a bit too much, but he has tremendous love for his grandson and ultimately inspires in him a love of mathematics (which Charles parlays into a career as an accountant as an adult).

Later this year, Hamill will be featured prominently in The Long Walk, and he will be in full-on villain mode. Based on the first novel that Stephen King ever completed (and published under his Richard Bachman pseudonym), the movie’s titular competition is essentially a death march that sees a collection of teenage boys try to survive long enough to be the last one standing and win the grand prize: a cash reward and the granting of a wish. Hamill plays The Major, the nameless, militaristic overseer of the contest who has no empathy for the contestants and solely demands the inspiration of pride for a dystopian America.

Obviously, Mark Hamill is a pop culture icon himself, but even icons have icons that they themselves look up to, and for Hamill, Stephen King is on that upper echelon. They clearly didn’t get to meet during the making of Sleepwalkers, but the actor finally had the pleasure last fall when The Life Of Chuck had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. They were seated next to each other for the screening, and Hamill gave me some insight into what was going on in his head during the experience:

It’s a funny turning of the tables. Mark Hamill has spent the last half-century being approached by starry-eyed geeks who can’t believe that they are in the presence of Luke Skywalker, and Hamill got a full dose of that himself while seated inches away from one of the most influential minds of the modern era.

Since that screening, Hamill explained, the two men have maintained a connection via social media – and to counter a common phrase, familiarity has most definitely not done anything to breed contempt. In fact, it has only given the actor more opportunity to totally nerd out:

For those who are curious, or perhaps want to have décor in their home matching what can be found in Mark Hamill’s house, you can find the aforementioned post on Bluesky.

Following its debut on the big screen in limited release at the end of last week, The Life Of Chuck is expanding into theaters nationwide this Friday, June 13. And for those of you looking forward to The Long Walk, it is currently scheduled to march into cinemas on September 12.

The Institute Trailer Reveals A Significant Change From The Stephen King Book, And It Concerns Ben Barnes’ Character

In 2025, when one Stephen King adaptation is released, the next one is right around the corner. Following the February arrival of Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey, Constant Readers can now see The Life of Chuck – and in just a few weeks from now, we’ll all be able to enjoy the debut of The Institute. Based on the King novel of the same name and featuring Benjamin Cavell (2020’s The Stand) and Jack Bender (Mr. Mercedes) as executive producers, the new show will be premiering on MGM+ on July 13, and to get audiences ready for the experience, the first trailer has arrived online.

Based on what we see in the preview, the adaptation looks like it is going to be very faithful to the source material. In the story, young prodigy Luke Ellis wakes up one morning in a room that looks exactly like his bedroom but is actually his living quarters in a government facility known simply as The Institute. He and a bunch of other children have been determined to have psychic abilities – being telepathic or telekinetic – and they have been abducted for the purpose of enhancing their powers. When Luke and the others begin to recognize the darker realities behind where they are, they begin to devise a way that they can escape.

What does strike me as different from the book in The Institute trailer, however, is the narrative presence of Tim Jamieson, who is being played by Ben Barnes. In the Stephen King novel, Tim is introduced at the very beginning as a police officer who leaves his job in Florida and winds up randomly settling in South Carolina… but then he doesn’t show up again until much later, as he lives a good distance from the location of the titular facility. Based on what we see in this trailer, however, his role is going to be significantly different, as he is going to be an outsider who begins his own investigation into the operations of The Institute while Luke and his friends try to get out.

How will the rest of the show line up with Stephen King’s original vision? I am exceptionally curious to find out, and you can be sure that I’ll be writing more about the show in this column as we get closer to its arrival.

That wraps up this week’s edition of The King Beat, but those of you needing more Stephen King in your life right now should most definitely do yourself a favor in the coming days and check out The Life Of Chuck on the big screen. It’s a brilliant and uplifting cinematic experience. Once you do that, you can proceed with waiting until next Thursday when my next column will arrive here on CinemaBlend.

If you were wondering how much Mark Hamill keeps up with upcoming Star Wars movies ever since Luke Skywalker died in The Last Jedi, this might be your answer. The former star of the franchise was asked about his character returning for the previously announced movie centered around Rey, and his unexpectedly hilarious response might've told us all we need to know.

While we've seen Mark Hamill pop up a few times as Luke in Star Wars shows available with a Disney+ subscription, it appears his time in the movies may be coming to an end. Comicbook.com caught up with the actor during his press tour for The Life Of Chuck, and asked him if he'd return as a Force Ghost in Daisy Ridley's return to the franchise. Surprisingly, the actor said he had no clue about the project:

Now we play the game of whether or not Mark Hamill is being genuine, or he's doing the classic thing he's built a career on, and "acting." Was he oblivious to the fact Daisy Ridley was returning to Star Wars, or is he playing coy because he can't say anything of substance about his involvement?

One thing that I would find hard to believe is that if Disney is bringing Rey back to the big screen, Mark Hamill would not be approached to reprise his role in the same way Alec Guinness served as the Force Ghost Obi-Wan for Luke.

Even if Mark Hamill said no to returning, and there's a chance he might have, considering his comments a couple of years back about going back to movies, but I can't imagine no one reached out to him with an offer. Star Wars fans love Luke Skywalker, and I would imagine it's expected that he'll be part of the fun. Perhaps we should prepare ourselves for the possibility that he's not involved?

I think that it's hard to say. While it may be strange that Mark Hamill allegedly hasn't heard about this movie, it's worth noting that we still have a long way to go before the Rey movie is actually in theaters. The movie isn't on the 2026 slate and has not begun filming as of yet. I think it's fair to say there'd be no reason to bring Hamill into the mix at this point, especially if his role is as minor as a Force Ghost in the picture.

We will see for sure whenever filming for the Rey movie actually gets rolling. Before that, now would be a great time to watch every Star Wars movie in order, as we prepare for the grand return to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is out in 2026.

We’re just a couple years away from the 50th anniversary of A New Hope, the very first of the Star Wars movies in order (release-wise), which, among other things, catapulted Mark Hamill to worldwide fame. Amazingly, this was the actor’s film debut following numerous TV appearances, and he would go on to reprise Luke Skywalker five more times on the big screen. But in the lead-up to Hamill playing Luke for the first time, he initially didn’t realize that he’d been cast as Star Wars’ lead character, though I can understand his confusion given the title page he read.

Hamill discussed being cast in Star Wars: A New Hope while chatting with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett on their Smartless podcast. He started off by recalling:

When it comes to life experience, Han Solo definitely had Luke Skywalker beat by light years. While the latter had only lived a sheltered life on Tatooine in his first 19 years, the former had been flying around with Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon for years going on adventures (the first of which were chronicled in Solo: A Star Wars Story, which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription). However, once Mark Hamill cracked open the Star Wars: A New Hope script, he was surprised to learn that the the movie was centered on Luke on him rather than the vest-wearing scoundrel. As the actor explained:

I mean, can you blame him for his original assumption? I’ll say again, Mark Hamill hadn’t acted in any movies before Star Wars, and along with already having a decent amount of film and TV work under his belt, Harrison Ford had already worked with George Lucas on American Graffiti. So Hamill’s thinking at first that Han Solo would be the main protagonist rather than Luke Starkiller, as he was originally known, makes sense. But like Hamill noted, A New Hope was meant to chronicle the rise of the wide-eyed farm boy into the hero who deals a devastating blow to the Empire, so of course Luke would be taking center stage.

That said, Han Solo does also go through his own hero transformation when he returns to help Luke out when Luke is about to blow up the Death Star, despite having already been paid for rescuing Princess Leia. But ultimately the Original Trilogy followed through keeping Luke as the focus, with Return of the Jedi ending with the character becoming a Jedi Knight. It’s interesting to think how those first three Star Wars movies would have unfolded if Han Solo was the main character, but I’m happy with what we got considering the franchise that spawned as a result.

Some of the most extraordinary performances in movie or TV history have seen the actor completely disappear into a role, not only changing their appearance but also adopting a voice almost entirely different from their own. Take a look at some of the most impressive voice alterations that an actor took on to perfect their unique portrayal of a now iconic character (or characters).

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

One thing that makes the 1991 remake of Cape Fear one of the most amusing Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro collaborations is the actor's approach to playing Max Cady. The Academy Award-winning Italian-American dons a thick, over-the-top Southern accent but is still no less chilling as the sadistic, recently released convict seeking revenge on the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who put him away.

Lupita Nyong'o (Us)

One of the scariest modern horror movie villains is Red (Lupita Nyong'o) from writer and director Jordan Peele's 2019 sophomore feature, Us. The Academy Award winner brilliantly differentiates the vengeful, "tethered" person from her above-ground double, Adelaide, and gives her an even more unsettling presence, with a raspy voice inspired by a condition called spasmodic dysphonia, which inhibits airflow and is commonly a symptom of traumatic experiences.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

As he would with any other role, Daniel Day-Lewis went to great lengths to become the sixteenth President of the United States for his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic, Lincoln. He even made sure to match Honest Abe's voice, which was high-pitched and reedy (according to the Library of Congress), as opposed to the low bellow many previous portrayals mistakenly attempted.

Mel Blanc (Looney Tunes)

To this day, it is almost shocking to learn that most of the original Looney Tunes characters were brought to life by just one actor. Until he passed away in 1989, Mel Blanc provided the diverse voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and plenty more favorites under the Warner Bros. animation umbrella.

Austin Butler (Elvis)

The key to portraying Elvis Presley is nailing his distinct Southern drawl, which Austin Butler went to great lengths to perfect when he was cast as the influential musician in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic. The work he put into the voice seemed to have a lasting effect on the actor, whom audiences could not help but notice continued to speak in the same accent during public appearances.

Seth MacFarlane (Various)

In addition to being one of the creative forces behind two of TV's longest-running hit animated shows for grown-ups, Seth MacFarlane is also responsible for bringing many of their most important characters to life. He voices Peter, Stewie, and Quagmire on Family Guy and plays Stan and Roger on American Dad – all of whom require him to be completely unrecognizable, while Family Guy's Brian is no different from his real voice.

Catherine O’Hara (Schitt's Creek)

What makes Moira Rose (Catherine O'Hara) one of the funniest characters on Schitt's Creek is the way she pronounces certain words with her over-the-top, posh accent. Classic examples include "baby" (beh-beh) and "enchiladas" (ahn-chuh-lah-dahs).

Jim Carrey (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

It is still sometimes hard to believe that it is Jim Carrey playing the title role in Ron Howard's live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. Not only is he covered head-to-toe with green skin and matching fur in the Christmas movie classic but the comedic mastermind disguises his voice with an accent that earned comparisons to Sean Connery, as he told Entertainment Weekly.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

Eddie Murphy started a career staple of playing multiple roles in the same movie with 1988's Coming to America. He dons an African accent to play Prince Akeem and brings his voice to higher octaves as Randy Watson and Clarence, but he undergoes the most intensive alteration of both his appearance and voice when playing elderly barber shop patron, Saul.

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The Dark Knight is a superhero movie that won Oscars for Sound Editing and for Heath Ledger's astonishing, transformative performance as The Joker. No matter how many times you watch Christopher Nolan's acclaimed 2008 sequel to Batman Begins, it is always shocking to hear that wheezy, menacing voice coming from the late Australian actor.

Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons)

If you have ever seen any of comedian Dan Castellaneta's live-action acting credits, it might shock you to learn that his most famous role is Homer Simpson. However, the Simpsons cast member provides the voice of plenty more characters than the infantile, Duff-swilling family man, including Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and Groundskeeper Willie.

Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu)

Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to dramatically altering his appearance and his voice for the sake of scaring the living daylights out of audiences, having played Pennywise in back-to-back creepy clown movies, It and It Chapter Two. However, his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers' 2024 reimagining of Nosferatu was an even more challenging process, requiring a month-and-a-half of vocal training to perfect the vampire's dread-inducing growl.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix did all of his own singing when portraying Johnny Cash in James Mangold's acclaimed music biopic, 2005's Walk the Line. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien that year, the future Oscar winner told the late night talk show host that he worked with a dialect coach to replicate the Man in Black's deep baritone voice as authentically as possible.

Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

For her Emmy-winning performance on the Hulu original true crime miniseries, The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried had the challenge of imitating the infamous low voice of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent blood-testing company Theranos.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men)

Many have been shocked to learn that Hugh Jackman is an Australian as his most famous role is the Canadian-native, Adamantium-clawed mutant, Wolverine. Of course, the Tony winner does more than just drop his natural accent for the X-Men movies but also incorporates a deep, nigh-animalistic growl.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

When Stephanie Beatriz debuted in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she used her natural, higher-tone voice to play Det. Rosa Diaz. However, over time, the character's voice became progressively deeper until the actor settled on a low, more gruff tone that better suited the cop's hard-edged exterior.

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

To play the lead in Christopher Nolan's beloved live-action Batman movies, Christian Bale pulled double-duty on changing his voice. In addition to dropping his Welsh accent when appearing as Bruce Wayne, he adopted a gravelly, identity-concealing growl when patrolling Gotham as the Dark Knight.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Kristen Stewart did more to earn her Academy Award nomination for portraying Princess Diana in the 2021 biopic, Spencer, than donning a blonde hairdo and an English accent. The actor revealed to Howard Stern that she went so far as to dramatically evolve her vocal inflection by opening her mouth more widely than she normally would and, as a result, practically altered her physical appearance in the film.

Phil LaMarr (The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr, in addition to his transformative characters as a MADtv cast member, has made himself unrecognizable for countless iconic animated roles, such as John "Green Lantern" Stewart on Justice League or the title hero of Samurai Jack. However, no blip on his resume is nearly as surprising as the recurring role of foreign exchange student Bolbi Stroganofsky on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series)

There are two different kinds of Mark Hamill fans. There are those who know the actor as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies and then there are those who know him as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and many subsequent animated Batman movies. The voice he puts on for the role – a wonderful mix of comically over-the-top theatrics and scintillating intimidation – has been recognized as the definitive portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the eyes of many DC fans.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Robin Williams proved that he was the perfect choice to lead director Robert Altman's live-action adaptation of the Popeye comic strip. He matched the brave, spinach-swilling sailor's fast-paced growl, as originated by voice actor Billy Costello, to a tee in the 1980 film.

Maggie Wheeler (Friends)

Maggie Wheeler stole the show from the Friends cast with her recurring role as Janice Hosenstein, who was famous for her signature catchphrase, "Oh. My. GAWWWWWD!" What sold the character was her thick, nasally Brooklyn accent, which the actor came up with when she auditioned to play the character, as she revealed to Access Hollywood.

Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)

Idris Elba earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the Oscar-nominated 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Being raised by West African immigrants helped the English-born actor develop an appropriate dialect to play the influential South African President, as he revealed to Oprah Winfrey.

Mia Goth (X)

Mia Goth played dual roles in Ti West's acclaimed A24 horror movie, 2022's X – both of which required her to conceal her mousy English accent. She spoke with a raspy Southern drawl as young aspiring starlet Maxine Minx and sounded similar, but significantly aged up, when playing homicidal elder, Pearl.

Megan Mullally (Will & Grace)

Megan Mullally absolutely earned her two Emmy Award wins for her committed performance as Karen Walker on the classic TV sitcom, Will & Grace. The key to the spoiled socialite's scene-stealing presence was her ear-piercing voice, which truly sounds nothing like the actor in real life.

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Cuban-born actor Ana de Armas is known for having a strong accent, which she concealed in order to portray Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Her commitment to matching the Hollywood icon's dialect in the 2022 Netflix original biopic would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Billy West (Various)

Billy West could be called the Mel Blanc of his generation as he can claim to have played about as many memorable animated characters as the iconic voice actor behind much of the Looney Tunes line-up did. To list just a few of West's best-known credits, he was both of the title characters from The Ren & Stimpy Show, took over as Popeye at one time, led Futurama as Fry, and plenty more.

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Nicole Kidman's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lucille Ball in 2021's Being the Ricardos was achieved with more than just makeup. The actor shed her Australian accent and added a smokiness to match the I Love Lucy star's natural voice but was also challenged to imitate the more high-pitched tone of the comedy icon's onscreen alter ego.

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory)

Dr. Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz easily boasts one of the most impossibly high-pitched voices in sitcom history. However, The Big Bang Theory cast member Melissa Rauch actually sounds nothing like Howard Wolowitz's bride, yet maintained the façade convincingly for 10 seasons on the hit CBS comedy.

Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Despite making "total sense" to the directors of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of the original Nintendo video game series had some initial hesitation over Chris Pratt's casting as the older Mario brother. However, the actor wisely avoided the plumber's stereotypical Italian dialect from the games in favor of a Brooklyn accent that effectively masked his natural voice.

Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17)

Robert Pattinson plays the title role of Bong Joon-ho's 2024 sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 with an entirely unrecognizable and, admittedly, kind of goofy voice. According to IndieWire, the English actor based the voice for his "expendable" character and his many clones off of comedian Steve-O.

Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Say what you want about Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but you have to admit that Johnny Depp did try something amusing with the role of Willy Wonka. To play the eccentric chocolatier, he adopted a high-pitched wheeze that almost makes you question if it really is the same guy who played Capt. Jack Sparrow under that top hat.

It’s been less than a full day since a small brush fire in the Pacific Palisades area of Southern California was first recognized, and even less since that fire (and three other smaller fires in the area) exploded in size and began burning out of control. While many stars have moved out of Los Angeles in recent years, most still live in and around the area and it’s not surprising that many stars are being affected by the fire, and others are thanking those trying to put it out.

Chris Pratt posted a message of prayers and thanks to Instagram last night, asking people to pray for those affected by the fires and thank the firefighters who are doing the work to try and put it out. While the actor doesn’t mention it here, he and his family are among those impacted. Pratt has a home in the Pacific Palisades area he is currently trying to sell. Last year, Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger knocked down a historic home in Brentwood, just south of the fire’s location, where they plan to build a new home.

Pratt's sentiment of support for the firefighters was echoed by The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan. He posted to Instagram a message thanking those fighting the fires and asking people to listen to those people attempting to evacuate the area.

Mark Hamill is one actor who has had a more personal impact. He reported on Instagram last night that he had to be evacuated from his home in Malibu. He has now taken up residence at the home of his daughter Chelsea, which is far enough away that it should remain safe.

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are also among those who have evacuated. Both have published several posts to TikTok as the fire has worked its way closer and closer to their home. One of Pratt’s videos shows just how close the fire, which started in Topanga State Park, had gotten to civilization. It's now being reported that their home has been destroyed.

The exact number of homes that have been lost at this point is unclear, but one actress who fears she may have lost hers is Star Trek: The Next Generation star Denise Crosby. She posted to Twitter that while she had her family are safe, her home, which is over 100 years old may not have been.

The fire has even brought out celebrities who have been trying to aid in the evacuation efforts. Iconic '80s actor Steve Gutenberg, mostly known for the Police Academy franchise, was spotted speaking to KTLA about the problems that residents have had evacuating due to people leaving their cars behind on major streets in the area.

With strong winds fanning the flames, this fire is likely to get worse before it gets better. Our thoughts are with all those evacuating and hopefully no lives will be lost from this event.

The Big Bang Theory truly went out with a bang when Mark Hamill was among the many celebs to cameos in the later seasons of CBS' hit comedy. Forever remembered for his iconic role as Luke Skywalker, you better believe that the episode where he officiated Sheldon and Amy’s wedding was jam-packed with a bunch of Star Wars film puns. I can’t believe that the American actor became such a fan of the comedy show after his cameo, but he shared his story about the “very clever” Star Wars burn that stuck with him checking out.

The Season 10 finale of The Big Bang Theory already did a crazy thing when Sheldon proposed to Amy. For the Season 11 finale, Shamy got married with none other than Mark Hamill as the officiant to repay Howard for finding his dog. The Empire Strikes Back actor got on board for the Season 11 finale without having read the script after having a good talk with the showrunners and writers. If you can believe it, Jessica Radloff’s tell-all book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series (via SlashFilm) revealed Hamill became a huge fan of the long-running show with a “very clever” Star Wars burn that stuck with him:

That truly was a major burn considering The Phantom Menace faced criticism for its childlike tone with incorporating Jar Jar Binks. But surely you can’t deny that the introduction of Darth Maul was a cool addition to the Star Wars lore. One of the best things about The Big Bang Theory was the way it incorporated Star Wars puns into the series, which tracked with what pop culture nerds the Caltech scientists are.

This is all the more reason why it was a must for the Emmy-winning sitcom to have Star Wars rule many episodes. For example, there was an episode when the nerdy bunch all went to see The Force Awakens together except for Sheldon, who chose to celebrate Amy’s birthday that night. There was also the time when James Earl Jones and Carrie Fisher guest-starred (and they actually met for the first time on the set of The Big Bang Theory).

Another unbelievable fact about Mark Hamill’s involvement in The Big Bang Theory is that the Batman voice actor didn’t watch too much of the sitcom until months after his guest-starring cameo. He said he only saw about 30-40 episodes before being the lucky A-lister to officiate Shamy’s wedding and attempt to answer wedding guests’ Star Wars questions before Stuart butted in. However, Hamill admitted he wished he could have seen all twelve seasons before his big episode in order to chat with the cast and crew of the Star Wars-centric episodes:

It may have been too late for Mark Hamill to officially acquaint himself with all the available seasons of The Big Bang Theory before appearing in an episode, but better late than never. Fortunately, The Last Jedi actor can now truly say he got to be one of the legendary guest stars to converse with Howard, Sheldon, and the other signature characters before its unforgettable series finale.

It’s really cool that Mark Hamill is such a Big Bang Theory fan long after his cameo appearance. Even if it was just for one episode, he’ll always have his experience of officiating Sheldon and Amy’s wedding as well as the clever Phantom Menace burn to stick with him always.

You can watch Mark Hamill’s Big Bang Theory episode, called “The Bow Tie Asymmetry,” and many others on your Max subscription. Feel free to take a look at our 2025 TV schedule so you already prep your TV watchlist.

Whatever else Mark Hamill does in his career, he will always be Luke Skywalker first. While the actor appears to have come to terms with the fact, early battles with typecasting meant that he had trouble finding other work as an actor. But recently Hamill got to play a character about as unlike Luke as anything he’s ever done, thanks to horror maestro Mike Flanagan.

Appearing on the Potlickin podcast, Hamill talked about how grateful he was to play an “amoral, soulless, sociopath lawyer” in Flanagan’s Fall of the House of Usher, available with a Netflix subscription. Hamill said it was a unique role for him because, while he’d played bad guys before, he’d only really been able to do it in his voice work. Hamill said…

On paper, Mark Hamill’s career probably looks fairly diverse. If Luke Skywalker is his most famous role, then number two has to be his work as the Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and other related projects. You can’t necessarily get much further apart than Luke Skywalker and the Joker.

But a great deal of Hamill’s career has been voice acting and it certainly sounds like part of that decision was that not showing his face gave Hamill the ability to do more diverse work than he could in live-action. He’s played bad guys before, even on camera, but his role in the terrifying Fall of the House of Usher was on another level.

The fact that Mark Hamill had never done a role like this is why Hamill says he’s grateful to Mike Flanagan because this wasn’t a case of Hamill going after the role. Flanagan came to Hamill with the offer, so the writer/director clearly saw something in the actor that others had not seen before.

Perhaps, now that Mark Hamill has played a terrible monster on film, more of those on-camera roles will open up to him. At 73, Mark Hamill doesn’t look to be slowing down as an actor whether he’s on camera or not.

The relationship between Hamill and Flanagan has only grown from there. Hamill has a role in the The Life of Chuck, the latest film by Flanagan based on the work of Stephen King. The movie debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year and is currently on the 2025 movie schedule. Hamill isn’t playing an awful villain in the film, but there’s always hope for next time.

Your favorite movie and TV star had to start somewhere and, sometimes, that somewhere is appearing in commercials. There have also been some cases in which an actor has already made it to the top but decided to lend their star power to a TV ad. You can find both kinds in the following collection of TV commercials featuring some huge celebrities.

Ben Affleck (Burger King)

An early blip in Ben Affleck's acting career was a commercial for the popular fast food chain, Burger King. The future live-action Batman actor and Academy Award-winning filmmaker plays a teen who accidentally invents Door Dash when his car phone intercepts a car from a girl who wants to order a whopper.

Cameron Diaz (Coca-Cola)

When Cameron Diaz was still a model primarily, one of her first experiences with acting – before making her feature debut in The Mask – was in a TV ad. The future Shrek movie star shines in an early '90s Coca-Cola commercial that feels a lot more like a perfume ad from the era in its alluring direction.

Paul Rudd (Super Nintendo)

All of Paul Rudd's versatile talents – from making us laugh in movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin to thrilling us as Ant-Man in the Marvel movies – can be traced back to a Super Nintendo commercial he did in the early '90s. He plays a very enthusiastic video gamer who attracts a crowd when he, somehow, hooks up his console to a drive-in theater projector for the ultimate experience of playing The Legend of Zelda and other favorites.

Jennifer Lawrence (My Super Sweet 16)

Jennifer Lawrence got to be the original My Super Sweet 16 girl without appearing on the actual reality TV series that documented wealthy young women's extravagant birthday celebrations. MTV ran dramatized promos for the then-new show starring the future Academy Award winner and Hunger Games movie star as the birthday girl who encounters a few mishaps during her festivities.

Brad Pitt (Pringles)

Years before he starred in Super Bowl Heineken ad helmed by his Fight Club director, David Fincher, the then-up-and-coming Brad Pitt got a taste of commercial acting by starring in a 1988 Pringles spot. He plays one of three surfer dudes who become stranded on the side of a California road when a trio of lovely women approach them for an impromptu Pringles party.

Amy Adams (Commercial Federal Bank)

Mainstream audiences first became aware of Amy Adams' impeccable singing talent in 2007's Enchanted but customers at Commercial Federal Bank were really the first to discover her. In 1997, the multi-Oscar nominee starred as an Olvia Newton-John lookalike in a parody of 1978's Grease for the bank.

Steve Carell (Brown's Chicken)

Steve Carell's channeled his inner Michael Scott long before leading NBC's The Office cast when he was just starting out acting in commercials. In the early 1990s, he played a Brown's Chicken employee whose clumsy mistake while setting up a marquee advertising "cholesterol-free cooking" accidentally convinces customers the food will cost them nothing.

Drew Barrymore (Pillsbury)

It must have been clear to anyone who spotted Drew Barrymore in her early Pillsbury commercial that she was destined to capture our hearts in E.T. the Extra-terrestrial just a few years later. The 1979 ad stars the then-four-year-old as a little girl whose mother cheers her up on a rainy day by making chocolate chip cookies.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Bubble Yum)

Before breaking out with his supporting role in Growing Pains and really hitting big leading the Titanic cast, the up-and-coming Leonardo DiCaprio did a few commercials. One sees the future Oscar winner demonstrate his natural charisma while demonstrating the powerful flavor of Bubble Yum bubble gum.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Alinamin V)

You may never be able to look at Arnold Schwarzenegger the same way again after witnessing the series of gobsmackingly bizarre ads the Terminator star filmed in Japan long after his big break. As the spokesperson for an energy drink called Alinamin V, the future California governor puts on a maniacally large smile and is sometimes seen riding the beverage's bottle into space or popping out of it like a genie.

Mila Kunis (Telephone Tammy)

Had Mila Kunis' Jackie Burkhart been a child of the '90s, Telephone Tammy – a doll who responds to your call with an included play phone – sounds like the kind of toy she would have grown up with. Not to mention the fact that the future That '70s Show cast member appeared in a commercial for Mattel when she was just starting out.

Morgan Freeman (Polaroid)

Future Academy Award winner and voice-over extraordinaire Morgan Freeman starred in a number of TV commercials early on in his career. One such ad was a 1970s spot for Polaroid, not as the man holding the camera that instantly prints out photos but the man telling the amateur photographer to cool it with the reshoots.

Britney Spears (Maull's)

Die-hard fans of pop superstar Britney Spears know that she started out as a child actor who worked with Ryan Gosling on The Mickey Mouse Club, among other rising stars. One of her earlier roles was a young girl who was apparently very excited to eat a home-cooked hamburger in a commercial for Maull's Barbecue Sauce, a local St. Louis brand.

Mark Hamill (Kodak)

Before playing Luke in the Star Wars movies made him familiar with technology from a galaxy far, far away, Mark Hamill represented what must have felt like a futuristic innovation at the time. He starred in a 1975 commercial for a Kodak camera that takes high-resolution photos from far away, allowing him to snap a shot of his girlfriend (and her mother) on a balcony while he stays on the ground.

Anne Hathaway (Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate)

Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway first showed her talent for performing in romantic dramas like One Day and The Idea of You in a 1996 commercial for Better Homes and Gardens. She plays a young woman who believes she and her boyfriend will still have time to spend before his family moves away until they learn the real estate agency has already sold the house.

J.K. Simmons (Farmers Insurance)

From his memorable roles in HBO's Oz and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies, J.K. Simmons was pretty well known by the time he was cast as Professor Nathaniel Burke of the University of Farmers for a long-running Farmers Insurance ad campaign. When he won his Oscar for Whiplash, host Neil Patrick Harris sang an impromptu parody of the company's commercial jingle.

Harrison Ford (Kirin)

Playing Han Solo in Star Wars and the title hero of the Indiana Jones movies made Harrison Ford an international star and one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He would also increase his notoriety in Japan by starring in a series of commercials for a regional brand of lager called Kirin.

Keanu Reeves (Corn Flakes)

Before playing a master of kung fu in The Matrix, a master of gun-fu in the John Wick movies, and a master of excellency in the Bill & Ted movies, Keanu Reeves played a master of sneaking a bowl of cereal for himself. The role of a waiter who enjoys some of the breakfast food he has been hired to serve comes from an '80s-era ad for Kellogg's Corn Flakes.

Betty White (Snickers)

Snickers had a funny ad campaign starring well-known actors as metaphorical representations of the out-of-character behavior of hungry people. One of the earliest, and funniest, stars the legendary Betty White as a dude who needs a bite of the protein-loaded candy bar when his performance in a casual football game is off.

Bruce Willis (Seagram's Coolers)

When he was best known for Moonlighting and before starring in one of the all-time greatest action movies, Die Hard, Bruce Willis had another claim to fame: Seagram's Golden. He served as the adult beverage's spokesperson in a series of ads, some of which utilized his musical talents.

Jeff Goldblum (Apartments.com)

It's a little strange how a performer as widely recognized and beloved as Academy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum would be hired to star in an ongoing ad campaign as an original character and not just as himself. Nevertheless, the star of Jurassic Park and The Fly is dazzling and dazzling in the Apartments.com commercials as Brad Bellflower.

Sharon Stone (Finesse)

In the 1990s, films like Basic Instinct and her Academy Award-nominated role in director Martin Scorsese's Casino made Sharon Stone one of the most esteemed, and desirable, actors of her time. In the 1980s, her looks helped sell Finesse shampoo as one of the most desirable brands in the hair care market.

Jack Black (Pitfall)

It appears that Jack Black's charismatic, high-energy sense of humor was something he possessed from a young age. Exhibit A: his appearance in a 1982 commercial for Atari's Pitfall, as a wide-eyed child in a safari hat enthusiastically recalling his experience in the jungle-set video game, years before he played a jungle-set video game character in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Burger King)

No one would have believed, in 1983, that an adorable six-year-old girl who became a recurring spokesperson for Burger King would grow up to become one of the fiercest horror Scream Queens in the genre's history. Yet, that would become Sarah Michelle Gellar's destiny after leading the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast as the titular defender against evil.

Tobey Maguire (Tropicana Twister)

In 1991, when he was still a teen, Tobey Maguire did an ad for a blended juice drink from Tropicana called Tropicana Twister. The future Spider-Man actor only briefly appears as a kid who breaks the fourth wall, suggesting that broccoli be added to the next unique flavor combination.

Courteney Cox (Tampax)

Before starring in the Friends cast as Monica Gellar, Courteney Cox was best known in the 1980s for dancing with Bruce Springsteen in the "Dancing in the Dark" video. However, did you catch the future Scream movies star's appearance in a Tampax ad as a gym patron?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Pop-Tarts)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most acclaimed former child stars who still act, with film and TV credits that back to the late '80s and early '90s like Angels in the Outfield and, of course, 3rd Rock from the Sun. If you go back even earlier than those classics, you can see the future Looper and Inception star in a 1991 ad for Kellogg's Pop-Tarts as a child who child urging his father to have breakfast before he leaves for work and offers him the toaster pastry.

Bryan Cranston (Preparation H)

Four-time Emmy winner and one-time Academy Award nominee Bryan Cranston has worn many faces throughout his career, from a hapless suburban dad in the Malcolm in the Middle cast to a ruthless drug lord as the lead of the Breaking Bad cast. Years before then, he wore the face of a spokesperson for Preparation H in a commercial from the early 1980s.

Willem Dafoe (Mercedes Benz)

With roles like one of the best Spider-Man movie villains, Green Goblin, and others, Willem Dafoe has proven time and time again that he plays an exceptional bad guy. Thus, he was the perfect choice to star in a Super Bowl ad for Mercedes Benz as the Devil, who almost convinces a young man to trade his soul for the car until he learns how affordable it is.

Geena Davis (WMET)

With an eclectic career that includes her Academy Award-winning role in The Accidental Tourist, the horror-comedy movie favorite Beetlejuice, and plenty more, it is clear Geena Davis can be anything. So, we imagine early '80s TV viewers who lived in the region where WMET broadcasted had no trouble accepting her as the voice of the local rock radio station when she starred in its enchanting commercial.

Jeremy Renner (Duracell)

Before he was defending the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the Avengers, Jeremy Renner made a living as a commercial actor. One of his greatest hits was a 90s-era Duracell ad in which he plays a tourist in Mexico whose stereo battery harnesses the power of a herd bulls.

John Travolta (U.S. Army)

Years before he played Santa in a Capital One ad and sent up his role in Grease for T-Mobile, John Travolta starred in an Army recruitment promo in 1973. Just four years later, his Academy Award-nominated lead role in Saturday Night Fever made him one of the biggest stars on the planet.

The past several years have sadly seen key members of the Star Wars family pass away. In 2019, beloved Chewbacca portrayer Peter Mayhew died at 74 and, just weeks ago, fans said goodbye to the iconic voice of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, who passed at 93. Now, another key contributor to George Lucas’ sci-fi saga has died as well. That person is Robert Watts, who served as a production manager and producer on the franchise and other major films. With that, Luke Mark Hamill, penned a sweet tribute to Watts after his death at 86.

A representative for Robert Watts confirmed to THR that he passed away in his sleep at his home in East Sussex, England on Monday, September 30. Fans took to social media around that time to pay tribute to the beloved filmmaker and his body of work. Days later, Mark Hamill took to Instagram to share some sweet photos of Watts, including one behind-the-scenes snapshot that appears to be from one of their ventures into the galaxy far, far away. As great as those pics were, it was Hamill’s sentimental message that was really touching:

To say the late producer helped craft some of the most influential films in the history of cinema would be an understatement. Before collaborating with George Lucas, Mr. Watts worked as a production manager on films like Bud Yorkin’s mystery romp Inspector Cluseau and Stanley Kubrick’s iconic science fiction feature, 2001: A Space Odyssey, which both released in 1968. Watts also served as a location manager on one of the 007 movies – Lewis Gilbert's 1967 flick You Only Live Twice.

The Alive producer rose to prominence, though, as a production manager on 1977’s Star Wars, serving as a driving force amid the film’s notably troubled production. Following the film’s success, Watts held the position of associate/co-producer on the sequels – The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. After the original trilogy ended, the Papillon production manager went on to serve in producing capacities on the first three Indiana Jones movies. Who Framed Roger Rabbit and An American Tail: Fievel Goes West were also among his credits.

I’m not surprised at all that Mark Hamill took the time to pay tribute to Robert Watts, considering he’s proven to have no problem giving someone their flowers. Earlier this year, Hamill praised comedian Bob Newhart after his passing, and paid tribute to James Earl Jones with a lovely message. Aside from memoralizing fellow stars, the retired Joker voice actor also speaks highly of co-stars during discussions. This past summer, for instance, Hamill praised Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess Leia in the first SW movie.

As important as Mark Hamil, Harrison Ford and their cast members’ contributions to the Star Wars movies were, one can’t understate the importance of the work done by the crew. That’s why Robert Watts’ work should be greatly appreciated by fans of all generations, and I’d wager that it’ll surely be enjoyed for years to come.

On that note, you can stream the original three Star Wars films now using a Disney+ subscription.

We sure are seeing a lot of Donna Kelce these days, whether that’s in commercials, at Arrowhead Stadium watching her son Travis play football, or in the two Christmas movies featuring Mama Kelce this year. Taylor Swift’s mom Andrea, meanwhile, is definitely a well-known figure amongst the Swifties. Well, one fan got their maternal figures mixed up, which caused some confusion on a viral post commented on by none other than Mark Hamill. Donna Kelce took it all stride, though, shaking off the case of mistaken identity.

If that all sounds a little confusing, allow me to break it down. The whole situation started when a Swiftie fan account on X (Twitter) posted a photo of Andrea Swift wearing a button that read “In my 87 era,” in reference to the jersey number of her daughter’s boyfriend Travis Kelce. As fans weighed in with their own love for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship, Star Wars actor Mark Hamill proclaimed his love for Tay-Tay’s mom, writing:

Fans loved seeing Luke Skywalker himself paying homage to Mama Swift, with one even commenting that he was trying to dethrone Flavor Flav as “King Swiftie.” One particularly excited social media user reposted the exchange, saying this was “the sweetest thing I’ve read all day,” but in doing so they accidentally tagged Donna Kelce instead of Andrea Swift.

The Swiftie immediately knew they’d made a mistake — if for no other reason than the harsh comments pouring in to make sure they knew how very wrong they were — but that’s when Mama Kelce herself entered the chat to let everybody know it’s all good. Donna wrote:

How sweet was it of Travis and Jason Kelce’s mom to speak up, even if the photo wasn’t actually of her? It’s so cool that she interacts with so many fans — like the one who saw her at a screening of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour — because you just know Swifties must go crazy when they see her.

As for the mix-up, I can totally see how it happened. While Donna Kelce and Andrea Swift don’t look very much alike, they’re both blonde, and they’re both seen with Taylor Swift often enough. With Taylor and Travis dating for over a year now, Donna is likely something of a second mom to her at this point anyway.

The whole situation is pretty wild, with a simple fan photo leading to interactions not just with Mark Hamill but Donna Kelce as well? What a rollercoaster for Swifties!

We’re definitely going to be seeing more of Travis’ mom in the months to come. In addition to getting glimpses of her in her suite at Kansas City Chiefs games, Mama Kelce has signed on for two upcoming Hallmark movies: Christmas on Call, which will be set in Philadelphia, and the Kansas City-centric Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.

As we wait for those, you can stay up to date on all of the 2024 Christmas movies coming to TV and streaming.

I’m surely not alone in thinking that Mark Hamill is the GOAT of actors who’ve played The Joker in some form of media. The actor set a high standard when he debuted as the villain decades ago on Batman: The Animated Series. Since then, though, other performers have put their own unique spins on the iconic antagonist, including Barry Keoghan. The Irish actor certainly recognizes veterans, as he recently paid tribute to Hamill, which led to a sweet interaction between them. Now, I’d like Hollywood to give them a movie ASAP.

Barry Keoghan, who played Joker in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, recently took to his Instagram story to share a clip of Mark Hamill from an interview. The Green Knight actor captioned his post by tagging Hamill and noting, “ya pure legend.” Hamill himself eventually saw the sweet tribute and reposted Keoghan’s post. The Star Wars icon then added a sweet message of his own about the “gifted” Keoghan, and you can read it in its entirety below:

When it comes to the entertainment industry, few moments are sweeter than those that involve actors supporting each other. This one is especially sweet for me as a Batman fan, given it’s a back-and-forth between two people who’ve portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime. Aside from those respective roles, both performers have delivered stellar work throughout their careers and have developed distinct styles. It’s for that reason that I would love to see them paired up in a film.

There are plenty of possibilities when it comes to a movie starring Mark Hamill and Barry Keoghan. A comedic road film that sees the two playing mismatched travelers or even father and son would be excellent. Of course, something more dramatic would also suffice. Imagine a flick in which Mark Hamill plays a detective tracking down a serial killer played by Keoghan – or vice versa. I don’t know about you, but you but I’m geeking out just thinking about ideas.

As for their Joker-related work, both actors are in very different places right now. Mark Hamill is seemingly done voicing the character following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three. His heartbreaking reason for retiring stems from the death of longtime co-star and beloved Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy. Months after sharing those comments, Hamill doubled down on his Joker stance, which was both sad and understandable.

Barry Keoghan’s time playing the maniacal Gotham City criminal is seemingly just beginning. He appeared in two scenes from The Batman, with one of those being released separately months after the film hit theaters. At one point, the Saltburn star said he had big plans for Joker in the upcoming sequel, The Batman – Part II. However, as production on that movie now ramps up, Keoghan is humorously trying to dodge questions about his future as the character.

Whatever Barry Keoghan’s career holds for him, I just hope he and Mark Hamill have a chance to work on a movie at some point in the future. Quite frankly, unless their schedules can never align, I can’t think of a good reason not to bring them together for a film. I guess if that doesn’t happen, though, the silver lining is that the two are, at the very least, admirers of each other’s work.

Check out both actors’ performances as the Joker by streaming Batman: The Animated Series and The Batman using a Max subscription. Also, keep scanning the 2024 movie schedule in case either star notches an entry there by the end of the year.

Hollywood sadly lost another beloved legend this week, as Star Wars and Field of Dreams vet James Earl Jones died at 93. With a career that kicked off on the theater stage in the 1950s before his film debut in Stanley Kubrick’s excellent satire Dr. Strangelove, Jones was a prolific and dedicated talent who worked with some of the best in the business, and many of his former co-stars and longtime fans paid tribute following his death.

As one of the relative few EGOT-earning celebrities out there, James Earl Jones has been an inspirational force to plenty of actors young and old within the entertainment industry, and judging by the outpouring of love and appreciation, it’s clear his impact was widespread and likely won’t be fading away anytime soon. (Darth Vader, he was not.) Let's look at some of the loving messages shared on social media.

Mark Hamill

Arguably the most famous of all of his roles, James Earl Jones voiced all-time great movie villain Darth Vader across several Star Wars films and more (sometimes aided by tech wizardry). And while he wasn't the actual physical performer under Vader's helmet, the actor still made quite an impact on his younger co-star Mark Hamill, who shared the following message:

To be sure, Mark Hamill definitely wasn't the only Star Wars vet who shared the love.

Billy Dee Williams

Having starred as Lando Calrissian across three Star Wars films, Billy Dee Williams is a beloved sci-fi icon who was lucky enough to call James Earl Jones a friend. Here's how he paid his respects via Instagram:

That booming voice was known for more than just Darth Vader, of course, with millions of Disney fanatics out there having long adored him for voicing The Lion King's Mufasa.

George Lucas

The spearheader behind all things Star Wars, at least in the early years before Disney took over, George Lucas helped turn Jones into a globally renowned superstar, even if the actor wasn't initially credited for his voicework as Darth Vader. (That came later.) Here's the filmmaker's statement, as shared on the Star Wars Instagram:

True to his words, many of James Earl Jones' most effective roles, even the villainous and scary ones — The Sandlot's Mr. Mertle among them — were made all the more effective because of the humanity that remained intact behind the performances.

Kevin Costner

Outside of the world of Star Wars, one of James Earl Jones' best movies was a feel-good baseball flick that everyone loves. No, I'm not talking about The Sandlot again, but rather 1989's Field of Dreams, co-starring Kevin Costner, who shared his own tribute to the late legend.

Sure, it's possible that another actor could have stepped into the role of Terence Mann and made it work opposite Costner's Ray Kinsella, but it wouldn't have been the grand slam performance that James Earl Jones delivered to the heartwarming drama.

Debbie Allen

The always wonderful Debbie Allen, who'd previously cast James Earl Jones in her Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, took to Instagram to share her own tribute to the late, great actor.

The EGOT status was already a sign of his GOAT nature, but having Debbie Allen say it only solidifies the notion.

Octavia Spencer, Steve Toussaint, Josh Gad And More

There are probably too many celebs paying tribute to James Earl Jones to provide a comprehensive rundown of all the kind words being shared in his name, here's a smattering of R.I.P. posts from his adoring fans and occasional co-stars.

• Jurnee Smollett: Today we lost a giant. James Earl Jones was more than a legendary actor - he was a voice that carried strength, dignity, and grace. From his iconic roles to his profound impact on the arts, he paved the way for so many of us. His legacy will continue to inspire generations. Rest in power, King 🖤 #JamesEarlJones
• Octavia Spencer: I’m incredibly saddened to learn of #JamesEarlJones’ passing today. Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever. His voice and talent will be remembered always. Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in all the galaxies, far, far away. 🤍🕊️
• Michael Beach: I got to work with Mr. James Earl Jones 3 times. The first time I was only out of college for a few years and it was on his show Gabriel’s Fire. The last time was as his son and #robertduvall nephew in a film called #afamilything … I felt nervous and lucky everyday on set with two super actors!…I knew him as a quiet and kind man. But he was a giant to me in many ways and each time I was in his presence I just felt like I was learning and clearly making great career choices!…Thank you Mr. Jones! Respect and appreciation to you and condolences to your family. #ripjamesearljones #aclassic #alegend #moviedad
• Jason Alexander: James Earl Jones was as powerful and profound as he was gentle and grace-filled. His voice could command or move men to tears. His work, all those amazing characters, will remain in my heart and memory all my days. I knew him very briefly and he was everything you’d hoped he would be. May he rest well. #RIPJamesEarlJones

Gabriel's Fire isn't a movie that often comes up when discussing Jones' biggest hits, but it obviously holds a special place in The Perfect Couple star Michael Beach's heart. And some of the actor's other fan-faves like Coming to America and Claudine get namechecked by Josh Gad and House of the Dragon's Steve Toussaint in the posts below:

• Josh Gad: Shattered. There are icons and then there is this man. How do you remember someone who gave us some of the greatest stage and screen performances of all time? For so many of us, you defined our childhoods from Star Wars to Lion King, from Field of Dreams to The Sandlot, from Coming to America to Dr. Strangelove. Thank you James for giving your life to art and filling our lifetimes with some of the best performances of any resume ever. It was an honor to know you and and an even bigger honor to get perform in a theater with your namesake. 💔 #ripjamesearljones
• Omar Epps: Thank you for gifting us with dignity, grace, and resilience. A peaceful warrior who inspired many by exemplifying truths. Though your smile was disarming, the strength of your presence was felt by any who had a chance to share space with you. Being one of those fortune few, I salute you for having persevered, and flourished through it all. Blessings to your family, and may you dance with the angels now!🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾#RIPJamesEarlJones
• Steve Toussaint: So, just heard the news of this master's passing. What a legend. What a colossus! What a voice! Obviously there was that "Star Wars" thing he did, but, there was also "Great White Hope", there was "Claudine", there was "Field Of Dreams"; I could go on... I won't. Was lucky enough to meet him very briefly backstage after he performed in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" as Big Daddy. A kind and charming man, he made my year! #ripjamesearljones

While there will no doubt be another actor who attempts the Darth Vader voice for upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, there will never be another Hollywood icon quite like James Earl Jones, from his persona to his acting ability to his unmistakable voice. It's been a great ride.

We here at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of James Earl Jones during their time of mourning.

Whether you decide to watch A New Hope first or instead opt for going the Star Wars movies in order chronologically, i.e. kick things off with The Phantom Menace, you’ll ultimately get to enjoy Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess Leia Organa. It didn’t take long for the young royal from Alderaan to show how capable she is in the Original Trilogy’s first entry, as she gunned down a stormtrooper before being captured on the Tantive IV. And then, of course, who can forget when she took charge of her Death Star prison break? It was a move that costar Mark Hamill said made Luke Skywalker and Harrison Ford’s Han Solo look like “the Two Stooges.”

Hamill recalled shooting this scene in the very first Star Wars movie while speaking at FAN Expo Philadelphia (via TikTok user va.va.vera). He started off by saying he thought it was “effortless feminism” for Leia Organa to be more than just a “shrinking violet,” which was also demonstrated early on by her not being “intimidated” by Darth Vader “in the slightest.” The Luke Skywalker actor continued:

On the off chance you need a refresher, and assuming you’d rather not just watch A New Hope with your Disney+ subscription before returning to this article, upon sneaking aboard the first Death Star, Luke and Han disguised themselves as stormtroopers and pretended to transport Chewbacca as their prisoner to the same detention level where Leia was being held. While they were able to eliminate guards in the area and free the princess from her cell, they soon found themselves boxed in by arriving reinforcements gunning for them. Rather than just wait to get killed, Leia took Luke’s blaster, shot open a nearby grate and had them all dive into one of the space station’s trash compactors.

Granted, the quartet soon found themselves having to contend with a freaky creature dragging Luke underwater and then nearly being crushed to death, but Leia nonetheless bailed them out of a big jam just moments after she’d escaped from imprisonment. And let’s not forget, not too long beforehand, she was subjected to an IT-0 interrogation droid, yet managed to resist its efforts to force her to disclose the location of the Rebellion’s main base. So taking all that into account, Mark Hamill saying that Leia made Luke and Han resemble two-thirds of The Three Stooges, one of the greatest comedy acts in the vaudeville era and the Golden Age of Hollywood, isn’t a stretch.

Leia continued to impress across The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy within the past decade. You can revisit those moments by watching those space opera movies on Disney+. If you’d rather look to the future, out guide of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows is available for perusal.

Prior to last year, Mark Hamill had what could be referred to as minimal experience in the realm of Stephen King movies. In 1992, he had an uncredited role in director Mick Garris' Sleepwalkers (based on an original screenplay by King), and that was the full extent of his connection to the author. In 2023, that connection expanded when Hamill signed on to star in writer/director Mike Flanagan's upcoming adaptation of The Life Of Chuck, and now he seems to be on a King streak, as it has been announced that he is set to star in the new film The Long Walk.

Directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes) and written by JT Mollner (the upcoming horror movie Strange Darling), The Long Walk began production earlier this week in Manitoba, Canada, and in addition to adding Mark Hamill to the cast, the film has also added Judy Greer. We don't officially know who the actors will be playing, but given that there aren't many adult characters in the book, it doesn't feel difficult to speculate that Greer is playing Mrs. Garraty (the mother of protagonist Ray Garraty) and Hamill will portray The Major – the principal antagonist who oversees the titular dystopian competition.

Based on the book of the same name, which was originally published by Stephen King under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, the story follows a collection of teenage boys who have agreed to participate in The Long Walk: a deadly endurance competition that sees the last competitor left standing win a dream prize. Once the "game" starts, the teens must maintain a constant walking pace along a highway and there are no breaks; warnings are issued for slowing down or stopping, and collecting three warnings (or trying to escape) results in execution.

Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson were the first two actors to sign on to star in The Long Walk, but the cast has filled out significantly since their involvement was announced in June. In addition to Mark Hamill and Judy Greer, the film is also set to feature Jojo Rabbit’s Roman Griffin Davis, Spontaneous’ Charlie Plummer, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, and Joshua Odjick (as reported in this week's edition of The King Beat).

In addition to his upcoming Stephen King movies, Mark Hamill has recently been doing a number of voice roles – including reprising his role as The Joker in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three and playing a character named Thorn in the upcoming animated film The Wild Robot (which will be in theaters on September 27).

For Judy Greer, this will be her second Stephen King adaptation, as she previously played gym teacher Ms. Desjardin in the 2013 remake of Carrie. In addition to The Long Walk, the actress' upcoming slate includes the family friendly holiday comedy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (set for release on November 8).

Previous attempted adaptations of The Long Walk spent years in development hell (George A. Romero first tried to make it into a movie back in the late 1980s), but now the project is set up at Lionsgate and is becoming a reality. The movie doesn't yet have a release date, but stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest updates about the Stephen King project.

Over the more than half century of Bob Newhart's career in showbiz, he became a sitcom legend and movie scene-stealer. It's therefore not surprising that many stars of the small and large screen wasted no time in paying tribute to the actor following his death at the age of 94. Nothing could be more appropriate for the man who was the lead of more than one of the best sitcoms of all time!

Mark Hamill may be best known for his work on the big screen as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, but like Newhart, the majority of his credits are actually television, mostly for voice work on projects like Batman: The Animated Series. With the hashtag #RIP, the actor nodded to Newhart and The Bob Newhart Show when he posted this on X (formerly known as Twitter):

Mayim Bialik certainly knows her way around a sitcom after Blossom and The Big Bang Theory, with Bob Newhart guest-starring on the latter across six episodes. There's a reason why he ranks among that show's greatest guest stars and earned a spot in the final season! In a statement to People about the late actor, Bialik said:

Mayim Bialik wasn't the only Big Bang Theory alum to open up in the wake of Bob Newhart's death. Kaley Cuoco, who played Penny on all twelve seasons of the sitcom, wrote in an Instagram Story:

While Bob Newhart earned legend status largely due to all of his success on television, one of his most beloved projects has to be as part of Elf cast. Christmas movie co-star Zooey Deschanel said in a statement:

Filmmaker Judd Apatow also had a lot to say in tribute of Newhart. On X, he posted "Bob Newhart made the world a better place for a really long time," and went further in a statement to People:

Comedian and politician Al Franken shared his own perspective on working with Newhart, citing when the actor hosted Saturday Night Live during his tenure on the NBC sketch comedy show. Franken wrote on X:

Jamie Lee Curtis, who has been working on Freaky Friday 2 this summer, perhaps summed up what so many people seem to be feeling when she shared this sentiment on Instagram:

While the loss of Bob Newhart is certainly sad, it's also heartwarming to see so many stars come out to share stories of what he meant to them, whether they worked with him or not. His death at the age of 94 was first reported on July 18.

Sometimes, a character and a project come around that impacts the zeitgeist deeply, and when that happens, the role becomes permanently attached to an actor’s legacy. This list includes over 30 actors from some of the greatest movies and TV shows who will forever be remembered for one role. 

Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter, Harry Potter 

While Daniel Radcliffe’s list of best movies is long and notable – with entries like Swiss Army Man and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – he will always be known first and foremost as The Boy Who Lived. The actor took on the titular role of Harry Potter when he was 12 years old, and he’s the face of a franchise of movies that have raised countless people. So, while he is beloved for lots of things, nothing will ever be as big and prominent as his role in the Wizarding World.  

Aaron Paul – Jesse Pinkman, Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad and its cast truly took the world by storm, and the guys leading the charge, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, became certified legends because of it. It’s hard to separate Paul from Jesse Pinkman, and the impact he made with his fellow ensemble members in this incredible show.  

Sarah Michelle Gellar – Buffy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

When you play one of the greatest TV characters of all time, obviously, it’ll be the thing you’re most remembered for. For Sarah Michelle Gellar, she’ll always be known as the legendary Buffy the Vampire Slayer after playing the empowering and strong titular character for seven seasons in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. 

Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man/Tony Stark, Iron Man

Yes, Robert Downey Jr. won an Oscar for Oppenheimer, and yes, he’s well known for roles in other films, like Sherlock Holmes. However, when you single-handedly help successfully start a cinematic universe like the one Marvel has and star in nine of those projects, yes, you are going to be known for playing that character forever.

So, when it comes to RDJ’s legacy, his role as Iron Man/Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be the thing he’s remembered forever for.  

Elijah Wood – Frodo, Lord of the Rings

Like Daniel Radcliffe and Harry Potter, so many grew up with Elijah Wood and Lord of the Rings. His portrayal of the hobbit Frodo Baggins was incredibly impactful, and while he has gone on to play a variety of memorable roles, there’s no denying the power of the Rings. 

Carrie Fisher – Princess Leia, Star Wars

You can’t talk about the late great Carrie Fisher and her career without mentioning Princess Leia and the Star Wars movies. She inspired a whole generation as her intelligent, stubborn and empowering princess, and the five films she was a part of helped define sci-fi in film. 

Leonard Nimoy – Spock, Star Trek

Live long and prosper, my friend. Forever and always the legendary Leonard Nimoy will be known for originating the role of the half-Vulcan, half-human Spock in Star Trek. 

Christopher Reeve – Superman, Superman

Christopher Reeve’s legacy is rooted in him playing Superman in four films. Even the documentary that came out about his life in 2024 leans into his time playing Clark Kent, as it’s called Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. 

James Gandolfini – Tony Soprano, The Sopranos

The Sopranos is considered one of the greatest shows on television, and James Gandolfini’s performance as Tony Soprano is a major reason why. The actor won three Emmys for his performance in the series, and his name, face and voice are synonymous with the beloved HBO drama. 

Alicia Silverstone – Cher Horowitz, Clueless

When I think of Alicia Silverstone, I immediately think of Cher, because she is and always will be best known for her iconic performance in one of the best movies of the ‘90s, Clueless. 

Sigourney Weaver – Ellen Ripley, Alien

Sigourney Weaver changed the sci-fi game when she starred in Alien. Ellen Ripley is a magnificent and strong leading woman in this sci-fi horror flick, which in 1979, was not something we saw very often. 

Jim Parsons – Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory

“Bazinga!” Will always follow Jim Parsons, and that’s because of his tenure playing Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The actor has four Emmys for playing the role, he starred in all 280 episodes of the comedy, and his character even inspired a spinoff, Young Sheldon, which came to an end in 2024 after its own seven-season run. 

Kit Harington – Jon Snow, Game of Thrones

The world was introduced to Kit Harington because of Game of Thrones, and he will always be remembered as the heroic Jon Snow. His role in the GOT cast was vital, and over the years, as we watched him battle it out at The Wall and work toward saving Westeros from winter, it was impossible not to fall for him. Now, while Harington has been in numerous other projects since then, it’s impossible not to think of him as this epic fantasy hero first. 

Emma Watson – Hermione Granger, Harry Potter

These days, Emma Watson doesn’t act anymore, and she’s killing with her gin company Renais. However, she’ll also always be remembered as a wonderful actress who brought life to the beloved witch Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. 

The Entire Cast of Friends

Yes, the cast of Friends all went on to have successful careers after the NBC sitcom. However, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox are best known as Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Monica, and they always will be, because they’re the ones with a hit TV show. 

Ralph Macchio – Daniel LaRusso, The Karate Kid

After three Karate Kid movies, and six seasons of its highly successful spinoff Cobra Kai, you’d be silly not to think that Ralph Macchio will always be remembered for playing Daniel LaRusso. 

Linda Hamilton – Sarah Connor, The Terminator

Linda Hamilton played Sarah Connor in The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator: Dark Fate. She’s beloved for portraying the protagonist in this sci-fi franchise, and she’s synonymous with this series that she starred in alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Chris Hemsworth – Thor, Thor

While many Marvel actors have become synonymous with their characters, one who really stands out is Chris Hemsworth and Thor. Physically, the Australian actor perfectly embodies the God of Thunder, and throughout his time playing the character he added an unexpected sense of humor to the role – especially post-Thor: Ragnarok – that he’ll be remembered forever for. 

Kristen Stewart – Bella Swan, Twilight

Twilight, the debate about Team Edward vs. Team Jacob and Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan took over the zeitgeist between 2008-2012. To this day, while she’s gone on to star in incredible films like Spencer and Love Lies Bleeding, the role that made her a household name is one of the parts she’ll always be remembered for. 

Heath Ledger – The Joker, The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger is widely regarded as the best Joker, because of his commanding performance as the legendary Batman villain in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. This movie was also one of his last before his untimely death, and he won a posthumous Oscar for his incredible take on the infamous big bad. 

Millie Bobby Brown – Eleven, Stranger Things

Millie Bobby Brown has made quite a few successful films, like the Enola Holmes movies. However, it’s undeniable that the role that will define her career is Eleven in Stranger Things. She was only 12 when she started playing the mysterious super-powered human, and over the course of the show’s five-season run, both she and the ensemble of the Netflix series, have become pop culture icons because of the show. 

William Shatner – Captain Kirk, Star Trek

If you take a look at the four projects listed at the top of William Shatner’s IMDb page, all of them are Star Trek movies where he played Captain Kirk. The man starred in seven films and a long-running TV show as the beloved captain, so of course it’s what he’s best known for. 

Michael J. Fox – Marty McFly, Back to the Future

From Family Ties to Teen Wolf, Michael J. Fox and his shows and movies were ‘80s staples. However, there’s no denying that the project he’ll always be remembered for is Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future. To this day, the project is considered one of the best ‘80s movies, and Fox is still beloved for playing the charismatic, funny and heroic Marty McFly. 

Reese Witherspoon – Elle Woods, Legally Blonde 

In the over two decades since Legally Blonde’s release, so many have been inspired to pursue their dreams and wear lots and lots of pink. That’s because Elle Woods truly left an amazing mark on the zeitgeist, and it’s because of Reese Witherspoon’s heartfelt, funny and preppy performance as the incredible lawyer-in-training. 

As Elle Woods would say, “What like it’s hard” to create one of the best characters and movies of the 2000s? 

Jon Hamm – Don Draper, Mad Men

While Jon Hamm is a wicked comedic actor, and he’s starred in a myriad of fun movies, nothing will ever come close to Mad Men. For 92 episodes, Hamm led the Mad Men cast as Don Draper – which he took an Emmy home for in 2015 – and he’ll always be recognized for playing the charismatic creative director of Sterling Cooper.

Judy Garland – Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a film that has raised generations of kids since 1939, and it’s still a family classic. So, when you lead a beloved musical like that, as Judy Garland did, and it remains relevant and loved for over eight decades, obviously, the role you’ll always be known for is that one. 

David Tennant – The Doctor, Doctor Who

While everyone who has played the titular timelord on Doctor Who is known for that role specifically, David Tennant is a fan-favorite Doctor, and it’s single-handedly the project he’s best known for. While he’s dabbled in many other critically acclaimed projects, like Good Omens and Broadchurch, he is and always will be the beloved actor who graced our screens as the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors first and foremost. 

Anthony Hopkins – Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs

Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and it’s in part thanks to Anthony Hopkins' truly terrifying cannibal Hannibal Lecter. In fact, his character became so popular that it inspired three more movies and a TV show. 

Sarah Jessica Parker – Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

I’m sure Carrie Bradshaw inspired many women to become writers, and I know she left many of us fantasizing about living out our lives in New York City. Sarah Jessica Parker truly slayed the role, and her own sense of style and charismatic personality meshed perfectly with Carrie. Along with playing the writer in the OG series Sex and the City, SJP has also portrayed her in two movies and the series And Just Like That. 

Emilia Clarke – Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones 

Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen, those are all the names Emilia Clarke’s dragon rider went by in Game of Thrones, and she gave an absolutely commanding performance as her. While her ending wasn’t what most wanted, there’s no denying how amazing it was to see Daenerys rise from a woman trying to survive to a powerful leader, and that’s because of how brilliant Clarke was in the role. 

Mark Hamill – Luke Skywalker, Star Wars

He was the face of the original trilogy, and you can’t think about Star Wars without thinking about Mark Hamill and Luke Skywalker. While the actor is well-known for other roles, especially in the world of voice acting, his most prominent part has to be this. 

Gal Gadot – Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman

Sadly, there aren’t many superhero movies led by women. However, luckily, we do have a few wonderful ones, and that includes Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. She played the beloved hero with so much grace, poise and strength, and she’ll 100% always be remembered for it. 

Obviously, while all these actors have played other prominent roles in well-known movies and shows, there’s no question that when we consider their legacies, these parts will be the first ones we think about. They’re that iconic, and we have these performers to thank for them. 

If it wasn’t for the vision of creator George Lucas, the world of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows might not have ever existed. As his 1977 film changed the world of blockbuster cinema, which easily landed it among the best sci-fi movies of all time, it’s a feat still celebrated to this day.

So when actor Mark Hamill chose to pay tribute to the director of his big movie break, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, the results were quite touching. Taking to his social media presence, including Instagram, Hamill highlighted the Star Wars mastermind with a selection of photos from throughout his life. Putting it all together with a touching message, here’s the finished product of Hamill’s birthday message to George Lucas:

It never fails to amaze when thinking back to how Star Wars became a mega-hit sensation, and all in a pretty recent proximity to its modern history. Looking back on things like Mark Hamill’s audition with Harrison Ford, it’s still amazing to see their early steps into this then new world.

It’s even more unbelievable to think about who could have been up for roles like that of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. That's even wilder to behold when reading the story about how fellow Solo auditioner Robert Englund helped Hamill’s Star Wars journey happen in the first place.

Of course, one can say that easily after over 45 years of Star Wars history have ingrained this world, and its characters, into pop culture history. But it’s not like George Lucas has merely sat back and enjoyed his retirement. As he still engages in philanthropic efforts such as the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a new chapter of his legacy has been playing out for all to see.

Though from time to time, Lucas pops into the Star Wars universe to do something, like randomly name a Mandalorian character. While he may not be at the wheel anymore, George Lucas’ influence is still felt in this galaxy far, far away.

As long as Lucas continues to remind the world why his creation was so iconic in the first place, fellow contributors like Mark Hamill will always be there to tip their lightsaber to thank the maker. To borrow the words of the man himself, straight from George Lucas' defense of Disney CEO Bob Iger, "Creating magic is not for amateurs," and it is an honor to pay homage to that fact on this magician's 80th birthday.

If you’re looking to celebrate George Lucas’ birthday in your own way, you can easily revisit the world of Star Wars through streaming. So long as you have access to a Disney+ subscription, you’ll be able to take off to Tatooine, Naboo and any other world that Mr. Lucas and his creation have helped dream up.

Hey readers, did you know that National Toast Day exits? Apparently, this is an event observed on the last Thursday in February, and it’s hard not to get excited about this delicious happening. So leave it to Star Wars legend Mark Hamill to really play up a viral joke about one of the best sci-fi movies and its connections to “toast.” Oh, this is going exactly where you think it is. 

While he seemingly isn’t slated for any upcoming Star Wars projects, the actor is still an ambassador for the massive franchise he helped make into a cultural phenomenon. Which has led to all sorts of viral moments on his part, which run the gamut from adorable to snarky. And this latest incident hits closer to the latter side of the spectrum as, amid National Toast Day, a fan on X shared some action figures depicting Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s charred corpses. Mark Hamill, in all of his wit and wisdom, responded to this meme, with the following statement:

When it comes to the best and worst thing in every Star Wars movie, the sacrifice of the Lars family is still one of the most traumatic moments. George Lucas’ 1977 flick showed Luke deciding to leave Tatooine after his aunt and uncle were savagely murdered by Imperial Stormtroopers, and those skeletal remains still come as a bit of a shock every time they’re shown. Still, it's hard to deny that the star's comment on social media is enough to make one laugh out loud.

Of course, after a little over 45 years of seeing that moment literally burned into the minds of fans far and wide, there’s going to be some dark humor tied to this scene from time to time. And this seems to establish a bit of pattern for Mark Hamill, as Skywalker family matters seem to be a good source of recent humor for the actor. At this year’s Golden Globes, Hamill finally met his Star Wars “mother” Natalie Portman, which was of course a moment that he commemorated on the sweeter side of things. 

In a similar, more bittersweet vein, the Fall of the House of Usher star showed similar vibes when remembering Carrie Fisher’s birthday in 2023. That last joke in particular is another jab at the rather infamous plot hole of Luke and Leia kissing in The Empire Strikes Back… one movie before it was revealed they were actually twins. 

While his involvement in the Star Wars legacy isn’t the total definition of his own career, the actor lovingly references it from time to time. Not afraid to be both sweet and sassy, the legendary star has shared his opinions and unique outlook on it all, while also honoring the material. This latest message is a perfect example of that tendency.

For die-hard fans of George Lucas’ creation, revisiting the past can be a source of fun, both off-color and good natured. So long as people like Mark Hamill remember that fact for themselves, it won’t be too hard to find that levity in action when it’s truly needed; much like The Force itself. 

While the Star Wars saga is on a bit of a cinematic break at the moment, there are plenty of projects that are in various stages of development. Per what we know about The Mandalorian and Grogu, it'll be a theatrical event, and series like The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew are keeping the ball rolling as well.

Enjoying everything that’s already taken shape in this galaxy far, far away is easier than ever, and doesn’t require hyperdrive assisted flight mechanics. All you need is a Disney+ subscription, and some time on your hands, to revisit Luke’s journey from farm boy to Jedi. If that's not something we can all toast to, I don't know what is. (Sorry, maybe it is still too soon to make those jokes.)

There have a lot of actors to play Batman and Joker opposite one another over the years, and among the greatest, if not ranked at the top of the list, is Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, with the two chiefly voicing their respective characters in Batman: The Animated Series and the rest of the DC Animated Universe. Unfortunately, when Conroy passed away in November 2022, Hamill said a few months later that he would probably never voice Joker again since “Without Kevin there, there doesn't seem to be a Batman” for him. However, now it’s been reported that we’ll get to hear these versions of the Caped Crusader and Clown Prince of Crime one last time thanks to an upcoming DC movie.

Word’s come in from IGN that Conroy and Hamill respectively reprise Batman and Joker in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three, which follows the January 9 release of Part One and the forthcoming April 23 release of Part Two on the 2024 movies schedule. Additionally, the outlet unveiled all the other new cast members who will be heard in this entry on the Tomorrowverse timeline as follows:

• Corey Stoll - Lex Luthor
• Brian Bloom - Adam Strange & Sidewinter
• Elysia Rotaru - Black Canary
• Armen Taylor - Jay Garrick
• Cynthia Kaye McWilliams - Dr. Beth Chapel/Cheetah
• Dean Winters - Captain Storm
• Jason Spisak - Blue Lantern Razer, Hayseed
• Brett Halton - Batlash & Captain Atom
• Ashly Burch - Nightshade, Queen Mera
• Katee Sackhoff - Poison Ivy

This news follows nearly a month after the wide release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which features Kevin Conroy as Batman. Shortly beforehand though, it was reported that the Arkhamverse-set video game wouldn’t be the actor’s final outing in a Batman-related project had previously been assumed. Instead, Conroy’s last round of posthumous vocal performances would be in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three and Batman: Caped Crusader, the latter of which being an animated TV show that’s premiering to Amazon Prime Video subscribers at a yet-to-be-revealed date. Then Bruce Timm, one of Caped Crusader’s executive producers who worked with Conroy in the DCAU, debunked the late actor’s involvement in the upcoming TV show, but evidently Crisis Part Three is on the table, though this hasn’t been officially confirmed.

Assuming Kevin Conroy’s Batman and Mark Hamill’s Joker are in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three, this will be the first time these two performed these same characters together in a DC film/TV project since Justice League Action, which ran from 2016 to 2018. Following Justice League Unlimited wrapping up the TV side of the DCAU in 2006, among the other projects these two would play different versions of Batman and Joker in included the Batman: Arkham video games (aside from Origins), as well as the 2016 animated film adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke. Conroy and Hamill were also paired together in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode “Chill of the Night,” where they respectively voiced The Phantom Stranger and The Spectre.

As producer Butch Lukic previously revealed to CinemaBlend, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three is ending DC’s Tomorrowverse, which had been the plan since the beginning. Like its source materials, these movies see heroes and villains from various universes coming together, so throwing a Kevin Conroy-voiced Batman and Mark Hamill-voiced Joker into the mix is par for the course. What’s unclear, though, is if these two are reprising the DCAU versions of these characters or playing different incarnations. Either way, they’re the second and third actors who are reprising their DCAU-originated roles in this trilogy, as Will Friedle is voicing Terry McGinnis, a.k.a. Batman Beyond, in Part Two.

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three doesn’t have a release date yet, but once the movie comes out, we’ll be sure to pass along whether Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill did indeed reprise Batman and Joker. Until then, you can revisit many of the past animated DC movies in order by subscribing to Max.

As a show that takes place almost entirely in the next millennium, Futurama doesn’t automatically seem like the kind of show that would boast tons of cameos from modern day celebrities, athletes, politicians and scientific geniuses. Yet that’s exactly what the animated sci-fi comedy has delivered with each season that’s aired, even when occasional cancellations kept those seasons airing years apart from each other. And what’s more, quite a few of those guest stars have also popped up in co-creator legend Matt Groening’s other beloved toon series, The Simpsons.

While there are certainly far more celebrities who have only appeared on one show or the other — for instance, relatively frequent Futurama guest star Al Gore was previously tapped to host a “Treehouse of Horror” ep, but it never happened — the number of shared famous faces may be surprising to longtime fans. So let’s pop open a six-pack of Slurm and dive in, while noting right away that the aforementioned Groening isn’t on this list, despite appearing in both shows. Note that we also left out Simpsons regulars Hank Azaria and Dan Castellaneta. (Also note that The Simpsons can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, while all eps of Futurama are available with a Hulu subscription.)

Dick Clark

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Treehouse of Horror X"

True to his real-world persona, the animated Dick Clark was also known in both animated series for hosting New Year's Eve countdowns, though he only did so as a head for Futurama. He suffered a weirder phenomenon on The Simpsons when Y2K hit and turned him into a Terminator-esque cyborg.

Leonard Nimoy

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 4 "Marge vs. the Monorail," Season 8 "The Springfield Files"

An icon in the world of science fiction and beyond, Leonardy Nimoy was a welcomed figure on both animated comedies. where he played himself for two episodes of each series. Arguably the best would be Futurama's "Where No Fan..." since it brought in other Star Trek vets as well.

John Goodman

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Take My Wife, Sleaze"

Longtime Futurama fans might not remember that Roseanne and The Conners lead John Goodman was the first to voice Robot Santa, with John DiMaggio taking over the role in later seasons. The Big Lebowski vet had a slightly different vibe going when portraying biker gang leader Meathook on The Simpsons.

Conan O'Brien

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 5 "Bart Gets Famous"

Having served as a writer on The Simpsons ahead of landing NBC's Late Night — he's spoken about his favorite character to write for — talk show maestro Conan O'Brien appeared as himself on both shows, interviewing Bart for his former employer, and appearing in jarheaded form for Futurama. Note that he is one of the only celebs whose head pokes out of the top, which is a joke about the comedian's larger than average dome.

Nichelle Nichols

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 15 "Simple Simpson"

A beloved member of Star Trek royalty, Nichelle Nichols portrayed herself three times across both shows, always with shows references to fall back on. (Unlike Nichols and other Trek elite, William Shatner turned down the opportunities to appear.)

Stephen Hawking

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” “The Beast With A Billion Backs,” Season 6 “Reincarnation”
• The Simpsons: Season 10 "They Saved Lisa's Brain,” Season 16 "Don't Fear the Roofer," Season 18 "Stop or My Dog Will Shoot," Season 22 "Elementary School Musical"

Perhaps it's no surprise that one of TV's brainiest animated shows would repeatedly bring in one of the smartest people who ever lived. Physicist and author Stephen Hawking appeared as himself, perhaps obviously, thrice on Futurama, and is part of the four-timers club on The Simpsons.

Parker Posey

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Deep South”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge"

For Futurama's mermaid-focused Season 2 episode, Parker Posey lent her voice to Umbriel, not to be confused with any other size-specific mermaids out there. Over in Springfield, Posey portrayed Otto's girlfriend Becky in a role that was initially pitched to Drew Barrymore.

Sarah Silverman

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Cryonic Woman,” “Bender’s Big Score,” Season 7 “Game of Tones”
• The Simpsons: Season 21 "Stealing First Base," Season 24 "Moonshine River," Season 26 "Clown in the Dumps," Season 28 "Treehouse of Horror XXVII"

Comedian Sarah Silverman joined the world of Futurama as the recast voice of Fry's not-so-wonderful girlfriend Michelle from the '90s, with three appearances to date. (Kath Soucie voiced her in the pilot.) She was also a romantic interest on The Simpsons for Bart in a pair of eps as Nikki McKenna, while also voicing herself and others in later seasons.

Jan Hooks

• Futurama: Season 3 “Bendless Love”
• The Simpsons: Season 9 "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons," Season 10 "I'm With Cupid," Season 11 "Eight Misbehavin'," "Take My Wife, Sleaze," Season 12 "Bye Bye Nerdie," Season 14 "Large Marge"

Saturday Night Live vet Jan Hooks brought her comedic skills to Futurama as the criminal-loving fembot Angleyne, and while she may have wooed Bender, Hooks technically has had a larger impact on The Simpsons, where she played Apu's wife Manjula across a half-dozen appearances.

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu was part of a Futurama cameo like few others, in that she voiced various bot-cloned versions of herself, with Fry dating one of them, as well as the "real" Lucy Liu's head in a jar. (Her second episode utilized excess dialogue she'd recorded the previous season.) Over on The Simpsons, she played the adoption agent tasked with deciding whether or not Selma is worthy of parenting a Chinese baby.

Bob Odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk tapped into both Saul Goodman and some of his Mr. Show characters to bring the ego-driven Chaz to Futurama as Leela's temporary romantic interest. And in an episode penned by his brother Bill Odenkirk, the Breaking Bad vet portrayed Fat Tony's lawyer (whose character went by that very moniker) for a Simpsons ep.

George Takei

One of the most seasoned guest stars of any Matt Groening series is Star Trek vet George Takei, who portrayed himself mostly in jar-head form for Futurama. While he did play himself for one Simpsons episode, he also voiced Happy Sumo waiter Akira, an unnamed Chinese restaurant waiter, and game show host Wink.

Mark Hamill

Having played one of cinema's most beloved heroes, Star Wars vet Mark Hamill took on voicing a somewhat equally important character for Futurama, at least to a certain segment of the population: holiday mascot Chanukah Zombie. For his single Simpsons ep, Hamill voiced himself at as sci-fi con and the bodyguard-training specialist Leavelle.

Penn & Teller

The most celebrated magical duo in history, Penn Jillette and his largely silent partner Teller appeared on Futurama in their entertainment hub of Las Vegas, or rather New Mars Vegas. (I guess it's up for debate whether Teller actually appeared, considering the state of his head.) On The Simpsons, Homer attempted to create a viral moment by interrupting one of their specials, and returned for a later episode centered on Lisa diving into the world of magic, with fellow illusionists David Copperfield and Ricky Jay also appearing.

Snoop Dogg

Rapper, actor and pop culture mainstay Snoop Dogg achieved his highest ranking yet within Futurama, with his head serving as a Chief Justice alongside the heads of Paula Abdul and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. He also played himself on The Simpsons as part of an all-star rap group Hate Squad alongside Common and Rza.

Patton Oswalt

Comedian Patton Oswalt is no stranger to self-deprecating humor, so perhaps it's fitting that his guest spot on Futurama was as Giant Unattractive Monster, who did not take kindly to Fry's insinuation that his mother's looks were to blame. He was the offspring of Portlandia vets Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's characters' on The Simpsons, voicing their son T-Rex. He returned in a later episode to voice the slime-covered entitye that served as Bart Simpson's Guilt.

Buzz Aldrin

The second person to ever set foot on the moon, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin can also boast a guest spot as a science fair judge on Futurama, in which he delivered an unexpectedly funny joke for someone of such real-life stature. Aldrin also appeared, perhaps unsurprisingly, in the Simpsons episode in which Homer goes to space, and the family's patriarch is actually dubbed a "hero" by Aldrin.

Wanda Sykes

Comedian extraordinaire Wanda Sykes delivered the robotic goods as the soda-dispensing vending machine Bev, who has a love-hate relationship with Bender while also heping to get Fry hooked on Slurm Loco. Sykes' SImpsons spot had her portraying a nameless Springfield Elementary counselor who loses her job in the middle of dispensing advice, and then calls out Milhouse for being boring. Mic drop.

Patrick Stewart

For all his years portraying Jean Luc Picard across the Star Trek universe, Patrick Stewart opted for something slightly less sci-fi for his Futurama appearance as the master of a fox-hunting club that Bender joins, complete with fancy mustache. For The Simpsons, he also went old school as the Stonecutters leader Number One, and later appeared as a bald-but-virile power plant worker whose confidence inspires Homer. (An amusing story for an actor who was initially advised to wear a wig for his Next Generation audition.)

Robert Wagner

Two and a Half Men and NCIS recurrer Robert Wagner's fame is definitely still intact in the 3000s, at least per his guest spot on Futurama, where Calculon's Walk of Fame star is replaced by a second star for Wagner, who shares a few words as an appreciative head in a jar. His Simpsons appearance seemed tailor-made for Troy McClure, as he introduced himself as an "actor, smooth customer and women's health advocate" during an instructional video teaching aging women about menopause. (Barely.)

Adam West & Burt Ward

'60s Batman stars Adam West and Burt Ward paid tribute to their respective roles during a Futurama scene parodying the comic book show's wall-climing cameo sequences, for which West voiced an actual bat-man-thing. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a car show celeb, and later teamed up with Ward for an installment featuring a faux Batman episode with Krusty as the guest star.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane and Family Guy are often jokingly portrayed as rivals of Matt Groening and The Simpsons universe, but he's appeared twice on Futurama - once to lay his dulcet tones down for Vegas-esque theme, and once as the dream sequence voice of Fry's dog Seymour, whose martini in hand was a tip of the wet nose to FG's Brian. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a man Marge secretly befriended during a temporary marital rut.

Kathy Griffin

As a celeb who'd previously been "canceled" over controversial photos in 2017, Kathy Griffin was an understandable choice to guest star as one of several ship captains who were sidelined for their behavior, including the titular Zapp Brannigan. She also played something of a problematic character on The Simpsons as the bully Francine, who inspired Lisa to pinpoint the phereomon that causes bullies to antagonize nerds.

With more episodes of The Simpsons and Futurama still to come in the future, the possibility for more shared guest stars is a big one.

Not only is Mark Hamill beloved for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, he’s also the renowned voice actor behind iconic villains like Batman’s Joker and Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Fire Lord Ozai. Now, as Daniel Dae Kim prepares to play the big bad in Netflix’s adaptation of Avatar, he spoke to CinemaBlend about Hamill’s voice performance and how it impacted his portrayal of the Fire Lord in Netflix’s live-action adaptation. 

Hamill’s performance as Ozai in the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender is wicked, iconic and barely recognizable. He really doesn't sound like himself, much like his voice for Joker. So, when I asked Daniel Dae Kim about how his predecessor inspired his own performance as the Fire Lord, he talked about the Star Wars star's work as a voice actor overall first, saying: 

I’m so with him! I didn’t know Mark Hamill voiced Ozai until years after I watched the show for the first time, and I mean that as such a high compliment. He’s so committed to this terrifying role that you become immersed in the show, and you don't spend much time thinking about who is voicing the character. 

Now that the Lost star is playing this iconic villain in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cast, he told me how Hamill’s performance as the Fire Lord impacted his own take on the character, telling me:

He makes such a great point, Hamill’s performance as Ozai is “full-throated and wholehearted.” When I watch the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, I’m always terrified of the Fire Lord, because he’s so driven and passionate about his quest to take over the world and bring down the Avatar. The iconic voice actor has a lot to do with that, and now it’s Daniel Dae Kim’s turn to bring that spirit to the world of live-action. 

With Ozai being incorporated into Avatar earlier than he was in the animated series, we’ll get to see how Mark Hamill’s performance impacted Daniel Dae Kim’s quickly, and I can’t wait. While some fans are already upset about Netflix’s ATLA, the first reactions to the live-action adaptation are cautiously optimistic. Between that, as well as the new Fire Lord's passionate love for his predecessor, I think we’re in for a treat. 

It pretty much goes without saying that the Star Wars movies are deeply embedded within the framework of popular culture at this point in time. George Lucas’ beloved science fiction franchise not only links fans but also the various actors who’ve played roles in the galaxy far, far away over the years. That’s why so many were hyped when Padmé Amidala actress Natalie Portman finally met Mark Hamill, who plays her on-screen son – Luke Skywalker. Like so many, I think it’s really cool that the meetup finally happened at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, but what I'm really loving is that Harrison Ford and Lily Gladstone got to geek out over the franchise that same night. 

Natalie Portman Spoke Out About Finally Crossing Paths With Mark Hamill

The meeting between Natalie Portman and Mark Hamill feels like it’s been in the making for some time now. Portman mentioned as early as 2018 that she’d like the opportunity to meet her Star Wars son. It was ultimately Hamill who confirmed his run-in with Portman by sharing a photo to social media. The Oscar winner subsequently spoke about the experience during her recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (which was shared on YouTube). Based on her comments, Portman was absolutely delighted to meet the man who portrayed her character’s child in the Original and Sequel trilogies: 

As a fan, I can’t help but smile over the fact that Natalie Portman was finally able to meet her fellow Star Wars alum. It’s also wonderful to hear that she was able to meet Carrie Fisher before her passing in 2016. Moments like these are truly special, and one gets the impression that Portman truly relishes them. That also seems to ring true when it comes to Lily Gladstone and her own experience at the Golden Globes this year.

Lily Gladstone’s Encounter With Harrison Ford Sounds Downright Fun

On the same night that the actors who portrayed Amidala and Skywalker, Lily Gladstone got to meet one of their heroes. The Killers of the Flower Moon star revealed on The Tonight Show (as shared on YouTube) that she had several interactions with Han Solo actor Harrison Ford throughout the Globes. They were sitting in proximity to each other and struck up a conversation as she explained. Gladstone, who was inspired to get into acting due to her desire to be an Ewok, revealed that to Ford, who apparently provided an A+ response: 

Harrison Ford also chatted with fellow legend Kevin Costner that night but, based on this story, I can’t see how that would top his conversation with Lily Gladstone. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little envious of the fact that the Certain Women star was able to have that moment with him. Gladstone also explained how Ford totally channeled Han Solo while lending her a helping hand during the evening: 

You have to love a true gentleman! All in all, it sounds like the Star Wars family and fandom were well represented during the award show. But I’m particularly happy for Lily Gladstone,  who was also one of the 2024 Golden Globe winners. If she hasn’t already, here’s hoping she gets to meet Natalie Portman, Mark Hamill and more franchise alums.

You can check out Luke, Padmé and the Ewoks by streaming the Skywalker Saga using a Disney+ subscription. You can also read up on upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, especially in the event that Lily Gladstone does land the role she’s long coveted.

In 1940, one year after Batman debuted in the pages of Detective Comics #27, a clownish-looking villain named The Joker came to Gotham City to wreak havoc in Batman #1. It didn’t take long for him to become the Dark Knight’s arch-nemesis in the comic book pages, to the point that all these decades later, Joker is arguably just as well known as Batman himself. With that fame, of course, has come numerous adaptations of the Clown Prince of Crime, most prominently on the big screen.

To that point, we’re here to rank all the major movie portrayals of The Joker. And to be clear, this list will only be discussing live-action and animated versions of the character who’ve appeared in DC movies that had theatrical runs. There’s a lot more to keep track of if we count the numerous direct-to-video DC movies that have been released, but keeping our scope narrowed to big screen offerings keeps things at a more manageable level.

8. Barry Keoghan

The only reason Barry Keoghan’s Joker ranks in last place on this list is because we’ve barely seen him. He’s only heard and indirectly shown for roughly a minute within the finalized cut of The Batman, and then there was the deleted scene between the villain and Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader released shortly after the movie. 

Still, all we know so far about this version of the Clown Prince of Crime is that he’s heavily disfigured, and that he and Batman tangled sometime prior to The Riddler’s reign of terror. No doubt Keoghan’s ranking on this list will be higher if he plays a prominent role in The Batman: Part II, but for now, there just isn’t material to work with and make a proper judgement.

7. Jared Leto

Suicide Squad marked the first time Joker appeared in a movie that didn’t revolve around him fighting Batman, and that was for the best. The execution for the Clown Prince of Crime didn’t work, from the strange choices with his physical appearance (especially that “Damaged” forehead tattoo), to him barely contributing to the story in any notable way, to Jared Leto’s performance not feeling intimidating in the slightest. 

It’s almost as if the actor was trying too hard to play the character weirdly, which he continued to do during his few minutes of screen time in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Let’s breathe a sigh of relief that the Leto-led Joker movie never happened, and that with the DCEU now over, we’ll almost certainly never see him again.

6. Zach Galifianakis

There’s nothing particularly wrong with Zach Galifianakis’ Joker, it’s just that he feels more like a standard baddie in The LEGO Batman Movie rather than one giving off the vibes of Batman’s arch-nemesis. For one thing, this spinoff to The LEGO Movie was, like its predecessor, comedic and chiefly geared towards children, so this Joker was presented as more clownish and goofy rather than sinister and terrifying. 

There’s nothing wrong with that, as it clearly worked for the story being told about Joker enacting his biggest plan yet after learning that Batman didn’t see him as an important villain in his life. But when held up against the other portrayals on this list, Galifianakis’ Joker comes across as generic.

5. Cesar Romero

Like another version of The Joker on this list, Cesar Romero primarily portrayed the character on television, namely the live-action Batman TV series that ran from 1966 to 1968. But shortly after Season 1 aired, Batman: The Movie hit theaters, and as such Romero qualifies for the rankings. 

This movie saw Joker teaming up with Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman, and just like the TV show, it leaned heavily into the campy tone. So, while this Joker will appeal more towards people who like the Silver Age of Comics and don’t mind him being more playful rather than a frightening threat, as far as performing this version of the character went, Romero continued to knock it out of the park.

4. Joaquin Phoenix

In 2019, Joker showed audiences how the Clown Prince of Crime’s origin story would unfold if Batman wasn’t around. Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck was depicted as a party clown and failed stand-up comic suffering from mental illness, and a few too many traumatizing events led to his descent into madness and adopting his clown-like criminal persona. 

There’s no question that Phoenix gave a stellar performance, as evidenced by him winning the Academy Award for Best Actor. However, since this is a Joker who’s about as far from his comic book roots as possible, it’s hard to put him above the final three men on this list. Still, there are plenty of people looking forward to seeing more from him in the 2024 movie release, Joker: Folie à Deux.

3. Jack Nicholson

More than 20 years after Caesar Romero hammed it up as Joker on the Batman TV series, Jack Nicholson put a more unsettling twist on the character in Tim Burton’s Batman. Although this version of Joker’s original identity was known from the start rather than kept shrouded in secrecy as is usually the case, knowing that he started out as gangster Jack Napier, who murdered Bruce Wayne’s parents, didn’t detract from watching him become a theatrical lunatic after falling into that vat of chemicals during his first encounter with Batman. 

Granted, there are times where it feels like Nicholson is just playing a more unhinged version of himself, but overall, his performance still holds up quite nicely after all this time.

2. Mark Hamill

As with Caesar Romero, Mark Hamill’s exploits as The Joker are chiefly known from TV, specifically the DC Animated Universe incarnation of the character he voiced in Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures and other projects. But because Batman: Mask of the Phantasm shifted from a direct-to-video release to a theatrical one, we can thankfully mention him on this list. 

Not only did Hamill bring the same delightful blend of comedy and terror that he did on the small screen, but because this movie didn’t have to deal with the same broadcast TV restrictions, his Joker was finally able to kill and drop some more suggestive lines. Even just judging Hamill’s Joker within the lens of only this movie, he’s more than earned ranking in second place. It’s also a reminder about what a shame it is he’ll never voice Joker again.

1. Heath Ledger

Anyone who followed along with the news cycle surrounding The Dark Knight’s production will remember that many were skeptical Heath Ledger would deliver a compelling Joker performance, especially once it was revealed this version of the character would look much different than how he’s usually depicted. Well, not only did Ledger prove the doubters wrong, he’s still considered by many to be the definitive cinematic Joker, and he went on to posthumously win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. 

Granted, this version of the villain didn’t drop a ton of actual jokes, but watching him envelop Gotham City in chaos and try to prove that no one is incorruptible not only earns him the #1 spot on this list, but makes him one of cinema’s most iconic villains across all genres.

There will be more actors who play Joker on the big screen in the years to come, and once we see their performances, come back here to see where they rank amongst their cohorts. Until then, use your Max subscription to stream many of Joker’s film and TV appearances, both live-action and animated, to your heart’s content.

It’s not everyday that people in the universe of Star Wars movies get to meet their parents. The Skywalker family certainly seems to have a problem with keeping it family together, which means that it’s not always in the cards for actors like Mark Hamill and Natalie Portman to meet. And yet, as this year’s Golden Globes helped usher in the 2024 movie schedule, mother and son were able to finally meet, taking a family photo for the ages between Luke Skywalker and Queen Amidala. 

During the show that would crown the 2024 Golden Globes winners, nominee Portman and presenter Hamill had a chance to catch up. That naturally meant it was time to take a photo of these franchise vets, giving us this snapshot of the stars from The Phantom Menace and A New Hope: 

It's time for a quick lesson in the Star Wars family tree, just in case you're kind of confused here.  Queen Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) fell in love with Jedi-in-training Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). Their forbidden love affair eventually produced a pair of twins: Luke (Mark Hamill) and Leia (Carrie Fisher).

Separated so their father, now going by the name of Darth Vader, couldn't turn them to the Dark Side, Luke was sent to live with the Lars family on Tatooine, and Leia was sent to Alderaan to be raised by the Organas. With all of that history out of the way, you can now why it’s kind of crazy that Natalie Portman and Mark Hamill haven’t met before this point in time. 

It only gets weirder when considering the parties that have returned to the Star Wars fold, Hamill included, once the Sequel Trilogy kicked things off. But putting all of that aside, it’s nice to see this long-awaited meet up finally happen during a night of Hollywood glamor and awards. 

If only there was a way that Jo Koy, the host of the 2024 Golden Globes, could have been clued into this meeting. Permitting that this moment took place before or during the show, of course. It may not have changed Koy’s absolutely roasted monologue, but it may have helped provide some joke material that wouldn’t have inspired the Golden Globes backlash that the popular comedian inspired after his recent gig. 

Sadly, The Force can’t be with us all on nights such as this. But for Natalie Portman and Mark Hamill, there was some sort of luck in the air to finally get to chat face-to-face, faux mother-to-faux son. Maybe there’s some sort of possibility that the Portman/Hamill ticket could host next year’s Golden Globes, as not only do these performers share a cinematic lineage, they’re also quite funny. 

If you're looking to celebrate both Natalie Portman and Mark Hamill, you're in luck. Both of these Star Wars veterans are currently featured in recent buzzed about titles available with a Netflix subscription. Natalie Portman is currently starring in the film May December, while Mark Hamill was a part of The Fall of the House of Usher cast. There's nothing like the family business to keep the world of streaming debuts interesting.  

She may be a “little bit country,” and he “a little bit rock ‘n roll,’ but they’re both big-time movie spoilers. Well, sort of. In the late 1970s, this dynamic sibling pop duo charmed audiences with their hit variety television show, Donny and Marie, which graced ABC from January 1976 to May 1979. Riding the wave of Star Wars mania that swept pop culture in the wake of the first film’s release in May 1977, the duo surprised fans with their own Star Wars television special in September of that year. Little did they know, in their playful antics, they inadvertently spoiled one of Star Wars’ major plot twists involving Luke and Leia.

Unless you’re Mark Hamill dropping franchise hot takes, it’s widely accepted that the Star Wars Holiday Special is among the least stellar offerings from that galaxy far, far away. While Life Day has remained part of the saga’s lore, the infamous special is notorious for its poor critical and fan reception. However, in a recent documentary covered by ET, Donny Osmond opens up about the strange experience he shared with his sister during this surreal Star Wars artifact.

Donny and Marie capitalizing on the Star Wars phenomenon. 

In 1977, Star Wars became a pop culture phenomenon, capturing the world's imagination. Inspired by this galactic fever, Donny and Marie Osmond jumped on the bandwagon to partake in the interstellar excitement. The cast brought an eclectic touch, featuring Donny as Luke Skywalker, Marie as Princess Leia, and Kris Kristofferson stepping into the charismatic shoes of Han Solo. The spectacle was further enhanced by additional Osmond siblings donning Stormtrooper gear, contributing to the lively performances that unfolded. This variety show, serving as a musical journey through the Star Wars universe, offered catchy tunes and a whimsical spacecraft adventure. 

The Luke and Leia's Sibling Connection

If you have seen the Star Wars films in chronological order, you know that nowadays, canon is of utmost importance to fans. For a brief moment between the original movie release (A New Hope recently passed its 45th anniversary) and the release of its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, there was a time when established lore and canon did not exist. This time in the franchise's history is like the Wild West with some truly interesting spin-offs. What makes the Osmond spoof even more intriguing is a surprising detail. The unintentional casting of siblings Donny and Marie as Luke and Leia turned out to be a subtle hint at one of Star Wars’ significant revelations: the sibling connection between Luke and Leia, a secret not unveiled until the release of Return of the Jedi in 1983. Or, as Donny puts it in the doc:

Breaking All the Rules

The ABC special was bound to break some rules, considering many hadn’t yet been established and the narrative had not been greatly expanded to the extent it would be. As Osmond candidly admits:

One memorable instance includes a shot of Chewbacca with his arm around Darth Vader, a clear violation recognizable to even the most casual of Star Wars enthusiasts.

The Documentary's Quest for Answers

A Disturbance in the Force takes a deep dive into the 1978 holiday special, featuring bizarre cameos from non-Star Wars celebrities and exploring Chewbacca's family and home planet in a nonsensical side plot.

Crafted by the creative minds behind Napoleon Dynamite and Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, the documentary delves into the mysteries surrounding the infamous Holiday Special, offering insights into the how and why of its creation. While the Star Wars Holiday Special often takes a hit for all the wrong reasons, there's a silver lining that resonated with fans. Notably, in an animated segment, it introduced fan-favorite bounty hunter Boba Fett. Without this much-maligned variety show special, we might not have been treated to some of the best Disney television shows today, such as The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, both available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

In Retrospect

In hindsight, Donny jokes about the rule-breaking, the unlikely friendships, and the unintentional spoilers. But, the Donny & Marie Star Wars spoof, which is available on YouTube, stands as a charming and accidental time capsule, reminding fans of a time before such stringent grasps were on canon and lore–which produced some truly weird, but unforgettable pieces of media from a Galaxy Far Far Away. 

A Disturbance in the Force is now available to buy or rent on digital platforms, DVD, and Blu-ray. 

Batman and The Joker are like yin and yang, where each feeds off the other, and both are needed for either to exist. (More or less.) The same can be said about Batman: The Animated Series's iconic stars Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who have voiced the respective archnemeses for decades. Understandably, Conroy’s untimely death shook Hamil as it did multitudes of devoted fans, and a year after the voice actor’s death, Hamill shared a heartbreaking response when asked about playing the Crown Prince of Crime again.

The Batman-Joker dream team came together in 1992 after Fox greenlit the animated superhero series, though it might have gone a wholly different route had Mark Hamill not found inspiration in Michael Keaton’s Batman to drive his audition to play The Joker. After the roles were cast, the Hamill-Conroy team-up felt like pure kismet, but playing the Bat’s biggest adversary might not be in the cards for Hamill anymore without his most familiar co-star. When asked by a fan about playing Joker again in the future during San Francisco Fan Expo (via Culture Crave), the Star Wars alum made it pretty clear he's done with that particular brand of cackling.  He mentioned at the event that he was "done playing The Joker." He reinforced his stance that he won't voice the Gotham jokester "unless it's opposite Kevin Conroy's Batman."

Understandably, the movie icon doesn’t want to play The Joker if Conroy is no longer the one bringing Batman to life. The two voice actors had a natural chemistry that came through the TV screen in each of the Batman and other DC-related properties they co-starred in. So, the Last Jedi star retiring from voicing the sinister villain in the DCAU without his late co-star’s husky voice makes quite a bit of sense.

Mark Hamill tapped into his Crown Prince of Crime bag to sum up his feelings about Kevin Conroy’s death, and reportedly used an iconic BTAS line to summarize his thoughts:

Using The Joker quote was a great way to let BTAS fans know why he’s no longer voicing the notorious Gotham supervillain. Besides voicing two of DC’s best-known characters, Hamill and Conroy forged a friendship by sharing the beloved animated series’ legacy. The two actors shared time at conferences and conventions and talked about the show’s legacy.

Outside of Batman TAS, Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy voiced the characters across several movies and TV shows, including Justice League and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. The last project they acted in together was the Cartoon Network series Justice League Action. Hamill last voiced The Joker in the latest Scooby-Doo series Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, and has voiced other notable DC characters like The Spectre and Solomon Grundy.

While he’s done with The Joker, Mark Hamill isn’t done with voice work. He appeared on the 2023 movie schedule through Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar and The Boy and the Heron. Of course, TV isn’t too far behind as he appeared in hit animated series like Invincible and Futurama. If you want to reminisce about Hamill and Kevin Conroy’s time together, check out Batman: The Animated Series with an Amazon Prime subscription.

In a galaxy far, far away from lightsabers and the Force, Mark Hamill recently bid farewell to another cinematic venture. The acclaimed Luke Skywalker actor just wrapped filming on Mike Flanagan’s upcoming film, The Life Of Chuck. This comes amid news of some of the other film's stars having wrapped on the highly anticipated Stephen King adaptation. Upon completing his own work, the Masters of the Universe: Revelation voice veteran took to social media to share the news and gave fans a glimpse into his celebratory mood.

The 72-year-old star found a unique way to commemorate the occasion. He posed for a photo with Mike Flanagan, in which they playfully concealed themselves behind the fabric back of the actor’s on-set chair. The resulting black-and-white image, shared on the star's Instagram, captures a sweet moment of camaraderie between the actor and the director. The photo’s caption, which you can see below, reads, “That’s a wrap on THE LIFE OF CHUCK - my second voyage into the wondrous #Flanaverse by way of Stephen King. #NotAHorrorMovie #LifeOfChuck.” Check out the post in its entirety below:

Devoted fans of horror movies might feel a tad concerned when seeing Mark Hamill’s #NotAHorrorMovie hashtag. However, there’s no need to worry. Some of the best Stephen Stephen King adaptations don’t strictly fall into that genre. This upcoming King adaptation is based on a novella of the same name, which was originally part of the 2020 collection If It Bleeds. So while the hashtag may raise eyebrows, it’s a reminder that the Misery writer’s storytelling prowess transcends the boundaries of horror, promising a diverse and engaging cinematic experience.

The Life of Chuck takes fans on a captivating journey through three distinct parts, cleverly recounting the life story of Charles Krantz in reverse chronological order. It starts with Charles’ poignant end at 39, as he succumbs to a brain tumor. It then rewinds to uncover his childhood, which is marked by tales of a supposedly haunted house. This inventive storytelling technique ensures a fascinating exploration of life’s defining moments.

Joining Mark Hamill is Tom Hiddleston, who takes on the lead role in the upcoming film, which just wrapped production in Alabama, having been the green light from SAG-AFTRA amid the recent Hollywood strikes. This collaboration marks Hiddleston’s first time working with Mike Flanagan, and he finds himself in esteemed company among Flanagan’s regular collaborators. That includes Annalise Basso, Matt Biedel, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, Rahul Kohli, Heather Langenkamp, Carl Lumbly, Violet McGraw, Molly C. Quinn, Sauriyan Sapkota, Kate Siegel, Samantha Sloyan and Michael Trucco. Needless to say, this is a talented ensemble for the project.

The Loki star’s enthusiasm for the project excites me. He recently drew comparisons between The Shawshank Redemption and Mike Flanagan’s adaptation. I cannot wait, because Shawshank is easily one of my favorite ’90s movies that brings all the nostalgia.

Mark Hamill’s Instagram post not only serves as a delightful sneak peek into the wrap-up celebrations, but it will also undoubtedly ignite anticipation for the movie. As the Flanaverse expands and Stephen King’s intricate tales continue to captivate audiences, The Life of Chuck stands poised to be one of my most anticipated entries on the 2024 movie schedule. To get a glimpse of Hamill and Flanagan’s first collaboration, The Fall of the House of Usher, viewers can catch the miniseries now using a Netflix subscription. 

NASCAR may be in Phoenix for its Cup Series Championship but, during the proceedings, there will be vibes similar to the galaxy far, far away, thanks to Bubba Wallace and Columbia. Wallace will take to the track in a custom-wrapped car made to look like the iconic X-Wing, which (as those who've watched the Star Wars movies in order know) was flown by Luke Skywalker. CinemaBlend had a chance to speak to Wallace about that ahead of the race and learned how he made fellow racer Ryan Blaney "super jealous" with his partnership. However, it's Wallace's encounter with Mark Hamill that has me super envious of him. 

For those who may not know, Ryan Blaney is a Star Wars superfan who has Darth Vader tattooed on his thigh. Blaney is also great friends with Bubba Wallace so, when the driver learned about Columbia's plans for the race and its latest clothing collaboration with Star Wars, he couldn't help but be covet the sponsorship. Wallace discussed those feelings with CinemaBlend while also joking about how he managed to smooth things over with Blaney:

It's not too surprising to hear Bubba Wallace could make good with his buddy by offering pieces from Columbia's Skywalker Pilot collection, which will officially go on sale starting December 1st. This fashion line features everything from ski suits to short-sleeve shirts, all made to look like the iconic orange pilot suit worn by Luke in the Star Wars flicks. As someone who believes Skywalker peaked with the destruction of the Death Star, I'd argue the suit is his most iconic look. 

As if driving the NASCAR equivalent of an X-Wing wasn't cool enough, the 30-year-old also had a chance to meet Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, ahead of race day. Wallace spoke to me briefly about the experience and what it meant to chat with the science fiction legend: 

Bubba Wallace is fairly new to the Star Wars fandom but, after talking to Mark Hamill about the Force, he could feel its presence through the actor's words. I really wish I could've been a fly on the wall while they were talking. The franchise's lore and principles are compelling enough, but to listen to Hamill discuss them would be amazing. We'll see if Wallace can be as dialed in as Hamill's Luke was in the Skywalker saga, all of which are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. 

Those who tune into the NASCAR Cup Series Championship will see two Star Wars-inspired cars, both with different takes on iconic ships. Given that Bubba Wallace's car emulates the style of the X-Wing, it even has R2-D2 painted on the top as, in the movies, the droid serves as Luke's co-pilot. 

The racer's teammate, Tyler Reddick, will drive the 45 car, which utilized CGI to recreate the aesthetic of a TIE Fighter in a different way. This is mainly due to the design of the iconic ship, which would leave little fun for viewers at home if the viewports were just in the front of the car. In any case, both vehicles look magnificent and will definitely draw some eyes during the race. I can't speak to how fast they are in relationship to Hyperdrive-capable spacecrafts, but I can say watching them hit the track was as cool a moment as watching the Kessel Run in Solo: A Star Wars Story. I'm sure Mark Hamill will be rooting for them as well! (Sorry, Ryan Blaney, but the Force will be with them.)

As you await updates on upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, fans can still have fun watching the NASCAR Cup Series Championship on NBC on Sunday, November 5th, beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. Those who have a Peacock subscription can also tune in to see who comes out on top in what should be an exciting race. 

In some ways, it’s still hard to believe Carrie Fisher is no longer with us, even though nearly seven years have passed since her sudden death. Though she’s gone, her memory lives on through her work as well as those who knew her best. Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill is one of the many who continues to reference and pay tribute to the Princess Leia actress. One of the ways he does so is by honoring her with an annual birthday message. Hamill followed through with that tradition this year by sharing some lovely photos. In the process, he also lovingly poked fun at Luke and Leia’s relationship. 

Star Wars fans surely know Luke and Leia are siblings, but that wasn’t always the case. Before working on 1983’s Return of the Jedi, George Lucas hadn’t decided that the two would be blood relatives. So it wasn’t awkward when they locked lips in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back. In hindsight though, the moment is somewhat cringey due to the connection between Anakin Skywalker’s two kiddos. 

Mark Hamill is definitely aware of the situation and appeared to reference it by posting two photos for his late friend and colleague’s birthday. One showed the two actors in a candid off-set moment, sharing a playful kiss. The other was a still from 2017’s The Last Jedi, which showed the moment Luke kissed Leia’s forehead. That may not not seem like a jokey post, on the surface, but it was the cheeky actor’s caption that seemingly gave away his intent: 

Those emojis are pretty much the giveaways, if you ask me. Leave it to the former Joker voice actor to celebrate Carrie Fisher’s birthday in such a witty way. You can see the latest in his series of birthday tributes to Fisher below:

It’s always wonderful whenever Mark Hamill pays tribute to his on-screen sibling. He did so earlier this year when he reacted to her getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The voice-acting legend was present at the eventual ceremony for the honor alongside his late co-star’s daughter, Billie Lourd. Many of Hamill’s anecdotes about the actress are legendary at this point and, this past summer, he dropped a good one. It involved her giving him some brutally honest advice when he tried to distance himself from Star Wars. 

Today, Billie Lourd isn’t trying to make space between herself and her mom’s legacy. The actress has fully embraced the love fans have given her, and she pays heartfelt tribute to Fisher on her birthday and other occasions. Though she’s had some drama with Fisher’s family, Lourd continues to push through and make her mother proud.

As Luke said to Leia in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, “no one’s ever really gone,” and that’s exactly what can be said about Carrie Fisher. Her legacy and vivacious spirit will continue to live on through her fans and loved ones for years to come. I’m sure Mark Hamill will see to that, as he continues to remember her – and poke fun at their liplocks and other funny moments.

All of the veteran actress’ appearances in the Star Wars movies can be streamed using a Disney+ subscription.

Mike Flanagan has carved out a nice space for himself on Netflix with horror series, including The Midnight Club, The Haunting of Hill House and more. His next project has been in development for a couple of years, as he takes on Edgar Allan Poe with The Fall of the House Of Usher, and finally this one is set for release just in time for spooky season with an October 12 drop for Netflix subscription holders. Critics were able to screen the full series early, and they’re calling it an exquisite tribute to the macabre storyteller.

Fans of Mike Flanagan’s previous projects will see some familiar faces in The Fall of the House of Usher. Carla Gugino, T’Nia Miller, Henry Thomas, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Zach Gilford, Annabeth Gish and Kate Siegel are among those returning for the tale of the doomed Usher family. Critics have weighed in on the upcoming series, and CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable is calling it his new favorite horror series. He says: 

While some people criticized the slow burn of Midnight Mass, Mike Flanagan said The Fall of the House of Usher will be different, describing it as “aggressive and rock ‘n roll and over the top and just violent and insane and horrific.” Amy West of GamesRadar admits to missing a little of the emotional depth from previous series, but gives it 3.5 stars out of 5, saying that overall it's a fun, bloodsoaked watch. West writes:   

Linda Codega of Gizmodo calls the series “exquisite,” noting that it’s not just an adaptation of Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, but a “masterful retelling” of his entire collection. Codega continues:  

Fans of Edgar Allan Poe will recognize nonstop references to his work; however knowledge of the gothic poet is certainly not a prerequisite, according to Therese Lacson of Collider, who gives the series a B+ and says:  

Belen Edwards of Mashable calls The Fall of the House of Usher part horrifying family tale, part brilliant adaptation, as Mike Flanagan and his cast draw you into a scary story that you simply can’t tear yourself away from. The critic continues: 

This sounds like a great option as Halloween approaches, especially for those who are fans of Mike Flanagan’s previous projects. You won’t have to wait too much longer to binge the horror series either, with The Fall of the House of Usher coming to Netflix on Thursday, October 12. In the meantime check out what else is new and coming soon to Netflix, as well as all of the upcoming horror movies headed our way. 

Soap Operas are not usually the first thing we think of when we think of “Prestige Television” but they have been popular since the dawn of TV and without them, some of our favorite stars might not have ever gotten their big break. In honor of that, we’ve compiled quite a list of famous actors who started out in soap operas. 

Brad Pitt (Another World)

There aren’t many bigger stars in the world than Brad Pitt. While he famously made his first mark in pop culture in Thelma & Louise, his first professional, credited acting role came on the soap Another World. The Ocean’s Eleven star played a character named Chris on two episodes in 1987. Little did anyone know just how famous he would soon be. 

Leonardo DiCaprio (Santa Barbara)

Pitt’s co-star in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio, is also one of the biggest stars in the world. Like Pitt, DiCaprio also can point to a turn on a soap opera early in his career as a launching pad. DiCaprio had a smattering of bit parts before starring in Santa Barbara, but it was five episodes on the soap that really got his career moving. 

Demi Moore (General Hospital)

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Demi Moore was box office gold with films like St. Elmo’s Fire, A Few Good Men, and Ghost. Moore earned a then-unprecedented $12.5 million with her role in Striptease, but she got her start much more modestly as reporter Jackie Templeton in 85 episodes of General Hospital from 1982 until 1984. 

Marisa Tomei (As The World Turns)

Marisa Tomei’s career went into the stratosphere with her Academy Award-winning turn in My Cousin Vinny in 1992. She’s since been nominated for two more Oscars in her lauded career that all started with the role of Marcy Thompson, as a series regular on As The World Turns for three seasons. 

Alec Baldwin (The Doctors)

The Doctors debuted on NBC in April of 1963, on the very same day as General Hospital premiered on ABC. Unlike GH, which is still on the air, The Doctors lasted only a mere 20 years, but like GH, it helped launch a lot of careers. Alec Baldwin was one of those actors who appeared on the soap, as the character Billy Aldrich for a few years in the early 1980s, years before his big breaks would come in Beetlejuice and The Hunt For Red October. 

Kathy Bates (The Doctors)

Another actor who got her start on the oft-forgotten The Doctors is the great Kathy Bates. Bates worked hard while scratching out a living as an actor in New York City. After scoring just one bit part in the movie Taking Off in 1971, it was another 6 years before she would land a big role, this time on The Doctors.

Laurence Fishburne (One Life To Live)

Laurence Fishburne famously made waves as a teenager starring (as Larry Fishburne) in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece Apocalypse Now. While the role made him famous, his career started years earlier as Josh Hall in One Life To Live. Fishburne was only 11 years old when he debuted on the show.

Jordana Brewster (As The World Turns)

Jordana Brewster is a star in one of the biggest film franchises in history as Mia Toretto in the Fast & Furious movies. She got her start in one of the biggest soap operas in history as well. After a quick one-off on All My Children in 1995, Brewster landed a regular role on As The World Turns later that same year. She remained on the show for 118 episodes over the next six years. 

Shemar Moore (The Young and the Restless)

For over a decade, Shemar Moore starred as Derek Morgan on the beloved Criminal Minds and then on S.W.A.T for six years. Neither was his first long-time role on television, however, as Moore got his start on eight seasons of The Young and the Restless as Malcolm Winters, a role he’s returned to a number of times, most recently in 2023. 

Tom Selleck (The Young And The Restless)

Another actor who got his start on The Young and the Restless is the legendary TV star Tom Selleck. After bouncing around in bit parts for most of the ‘70s. The Blue Bloods star found a semi-regular role on the soap in 1974. He would later own TV in the ‘80s as Thomas Magnum on one of the greatest TV shows of all time, Magnum PI.

Meg Ryan (As The World Turns)

Meg Ryan was America’s sweetheart in the 1980s and '90s. Before she starred in numerous rom-coms, from When Harry Met Sally To You’ve Got Mail, she was Steve Andropoulos’ sweetheart Betsy on As The World Turns. She would play the role for three years, before snagging a role in a little movie called Top Gun, and off she went to stardom. 

Lauryn Hill (As The World Turns)

It’s not just actors who got their start on soap operas. Singer and rapper Ms. Lauryn Hill is famous for her amazing neo-soul album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998, but seven years before that, and before The Fugees, she starred as Kira Johnson on As The World Turns.

Taye Diggs (Guiding Light)

This one is a bit of a stretch because Taye Diggs had already put together a great career on Broadway, starring in the original cast of Rent and other shows. He did, however, get his regular screen time on Guiding Light in 1997, after a couple of smaller parts on TV. 

Julianne Moore (As The World Turns)

Julianne Moore has won a slew of awards in her career. The Boogie Nights star can boast five Oscar nominations and one win, she has an Emmy, multiple Golden Globe and SAG awards, and even one Daytime Emmy, which she won for Best Actress on the soap As The World Turns in 1988.

David Hasselhoff (The Young And The Restless)

Baywatch might have been a soap opera on the beach, but it wasn’t the first time David Hasselhoff starred in one. The Hoff played Snapper Foster (yes, that’s the name of the character) for seven years in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s on The Young and the Restless, before scoring his gig on Knight Rider. While starring on Knight Rider, The Hoff also appeared on one episode of Santa Barbara.

Mark Hamill (General Hospital)

Stars Wars has often been described as a “space opera” so it only makes sense that Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, got his start on a soap opera. The future superstar started smaller, with a role as Kent Murray on General Hospital for a couple of years right before Star Wars became the biggest thing, well, ever. 

Josh Duhamel (All My Children)

Transformers star Josh Duhamel has starred in 39 movies and had roles on 18 TV shows, including Las Vegas and Jupiter Rising, and it all started with a breakout role on ABC’s All My Children in 1999. He starred on the soap opera for a few years, before moving on, but did return briefly in 2011 to reprise his role as Leo du Pres. He even won a Daytime Emmy in 2002 for his performance. 

Kelly Ripa (All My Children)

Kelly Ripa has been everyone’s favorite morning talk show host for years now and over 30 years ago, she was a dancer on Dance Party USA. Her first serious acting gig came in 1990 as Hayley Vaughan on All My Children, a role she would play for more than a decade. Not only did it jumpstart her career, but the soap played an even more important role in her life, as that’s how she met her husband, Mark Consuelos.

Mark Consuelos (All My Children)

That’s right, Mark Consuelos also began his career on All My Children, playing Mateo Santos on the show for six years. The Riverdale star was a huge hit on the show, and like Ripa, returned in 2010 to help celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary. Consuelos and Ripa married in 1996 while starring on the show together and now almost 30 years later are still working together as co-hosts on Live.

Ryan Phillippe (One Life To Live)

From I Know What You Last Summer to Cruel Intentions, Ryan Phillippe played some iconic parts in the 1990s. It was One Life To Live where he landed his first one, though, in 1992. In the ‘00s, he got more serious, with major roles in Gosford Park and Crash, but none of it might have happened with the soap opera casting him as a teenager. 

Amber Tamblyn (General Hospital)

Amber Tamblyn wasn’t even a teen when she landed her first on-screen role on General Hospital in 1995. The 127 Hours star played Emily Quatermaine for six seasons on the soap.

John Stamos (General Hospital)

Before playing Uncle Jesse on Full House, and before playing bongos for The Beach Boys, John Stamos was breaking hearts as Blackie Parrish on General Hospital for three seasons in the early ‘80s. Stamos even earned a nomination for a Daytime Emmy for the role in 1983.

Mario Van Peebles (One Life To Live)

Mario Van Peebles made his permanent mark on film with his direction of the 1991 classic New Jack City. The cult classic was huge at the time, and Van Peebles has been acting and directing in TV and film ever since, but his career really got going a decade prior to New Jack City when he appeared as Doc Gilmore in One Life To Live in 1982 and 1983. 

Hayden Panettiere (One Life To Live)

“Save the cheerleader, save the world” is a now-legendary catchphrase from the TV series Heroes and the cheerleader was, of course, the great Hayden Panettiere. Panettiere had already scored numerous credits before Heroes, including her first role as a five-year-old One Life To Live for 26 episodes in the mid-'90s. She followed that up as Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light for four seasons.

Justin Hartley (Passions)

Justin Harley was part of the cast that made more TV viewers cry than any other as a part of the brilliant ensemble on This Is Us. Hartley got his start probably making daytime TV fans emotional on the short-lived (by soap opera standards) Passions. After becoming a series regular on Smallville, he returned to daytime TV on The Young and the Restless before landing his award-winning gig on This Is Us. 

Robin Wright (Santa Barbara)

In 1987 Robin Wright became part of cinema history with her role as Buttercup in the much-beloved The Princess Bride. It took a few years of starring on the soap Santa Barbara before she would get that breakout role, but she’s been on top ever since, with iconic roles on the Netflix series House of Cards and in movies like Wonder Woman 1984, which is pretty fitting, as that was the year she started on Santa Barbara.

Lindsay Lohan (Guiding Light and Another World)

Lindsay Lohan’s first movie role was actually two roles in 1998’s The Parent Trap. She immediately endeared herself to audiences, and that love only grew with Freaky Friday and Mean Girls. She’s had an up-and-down career since, but like so many others, that career started as a kid on a soap. Two soaps, actually. First, a brief one-off on Guiding Light, with a reoccurring role on Another World for two seasons. 

Kevin Kline (Search For Tomorrow)

Search for Tomorrow is one of those soaps that despite running for more than 35 years, it’s completely forgotten about today. It was canceled in 1986, but it was around long enough for Kevin Kline to make his first on-screen appearance. The classically trained Kline returned to the stage after leaving the show, but in 1982 he found himself in a role in Sophie’s Choice alongside Meryl Streep, and he’s never looked back. 

Tommy Lee Jones (One Life To Live)

Harvard grad Tommy Lee Jones actually got his first role in the classic Love Story but it was a minor “blink and you’ll miss it” type of role. It was probably his 21 episodes on One Life To Live in the early 1970s that really jumpstarted his now-legendary career. 

Tom Berenger (One Life To Live)

Speaking of One Life to Live in the ‘70s, Platoon star Tom Berenger overlapped with Jones for one season on the long-running soap. Berenger played Tim Siegel for 66 episodes from 1975 until his character’s death just after getting married in the 1976 season. Classic soap opera plot!  

While budgets of soap operas might not be that of prime-time TV, there is undoubtedly plenty of talent on these shows, and has been for many years, as this amazing of list famous actors who started out in soap operas proves. 

The DC Comics brand lost a major member of its family this weekend, as Arleen Sorkin – best known for originating the role of Harley Quinn - sadly passed away at the age of 67. The actress portrayed the humorous (and somewhat dangerous) henchwoman across different productions over the years and endeared herself to audiences through her work. With that, plenty of fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to her in the wake of her passing. A number of notable Hollywood veterans are paying tribute to Sorkin as well, as former co-star Mark Hamill, James Gunn and more are honoring her. 

For years, Mark Hamill played the Joker to Arleen Sorkin’s Harley Quinn, and that partnership began in the early ‘90s with Batman: The Animated Series. Whenever one heard Hamill’s pitch-perfect laugh for the maniacal madman, it was typically accompanied by a wisecrack from Arleen’s Quinn. Hamill, who replaced Tim Curry as the Clown Prince of Crime, seems to have been incredibly grateful to have worked with his late colleague. That’s the feeling one gets based on the sentimental message he shared to X (formerly Twitter): 

The veteran actress’ passing was first reported by fellow voice actor Neil Kaplan, before THR and other trades further verified it. She had a number of acting credits to her name, with one of her most notable roles being that of Calliope Jones on soap opera Days of Our Lives. It was through that show – which she appeared on at different points between 1984 and 2010 – that BTAS writer/producer Paul Dini (a college friend of hers) was inspired to create an original character. He apparently saw an episode in which the actress appeared as a harlequin in a dream sequence and created the character of Harley Quinn with her in mind. Ultimately, the star joined the cast, and the rest is history. 

While Harley was only set to appear in one episode, she was brought back multiple times. As time went on, she eventually would appear in other DC Animated Universe shows like Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and Static Shock. The character became a pop culture icon, delighting and inspiring viewers like James Gunn. The co-head of DC Studios has frequently discussed his love for Quinn over the years. So it should’ve come as no surprise that he would pay such loving tribute to the woman who helped bring her to life decades ago. Gunn said on Instagram: 

The DC villain-turned-antihero made a serious impression, which is why there are currently so many TV shows and movies featuring Harley Quinn today. With that, other voice actors have taken on the role. Most prominent among them is Tara Strong, who also voiced Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in The New Batman Adventures. Strong discussed Arleen Sorkin, who hadn’t worked in a while due to health issues, on X and had nothing but kind words for her predecessor: 

In addition to the post above, Tara Strong also said that while at Collect-A-Con, she had surreal recollections of watching the OG Harley actress in the recording booth with Mark Hamill. It certainly seems like she was in awe of the late actress, and the same goes for voice-acting veteran Jim Cummings. He also shared some thoughts about his late colleague on X:

The loss of Arleen Sorkin is very surreal and, as a fan myself, I find it somewhat tough to process. Admittedly, what’s also daunting is that it comes less than a year after the death of beloved Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy. While Sorkin’s passing is a tough pill to swallow, it’s at least comforting to see people like James Gunn and Mark Hamill take the time to give her her flowers. We here at CinemaBlend also extend our condolences to her family and loved ones during this time. 

Those who’d love to revisit the talented star’s work or check it out for the first time can watch many of her performances as Harley Quinn in the DCAU using a Max subscription.

Just because you’ve made it big in the film industry doesn’t mean that you instantly know everything. No matter who you are, or where you land on the Hollywood food chain, there are always going to be lessons to be learned. Star Wars icon Mark Hamill figured this out the hard way when he apparently tried to give an up-and-coming Arnold Schwarzenegger some career advice at an early point of the bodybuilder’s arc. Thankfully, for the eventual star of Predator, Total Recall, The Terminator and a few more of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made, Ah-nold ignored Hamill’s suggestions, and it all worked out for the best. 

Both men continue to prove their Hollywood longevity by appearing in projects that recently dropped. Arnold Schwarzenegger has returned to the action genre for FUBAR, available with a Netflix subscription. Mark Hamill, in the meantime, appears opposite comedian Bert Kresicher in the new comedy The Machine. While doing press for that film, Hamill relayed the story that he has told the most at parties, because he knows it will captivate his audience… mainly for how dumb it makes the Star Wars star look and sound. Apparently, back in their heyday, Hamill encountered the Pumping Iron standout early in the man’s career. And it went down like this:

That’s a terrific story. And part of me now wants to know if Arnold Schwarzenegger seriously considered either recommendations. At this point, it’s impossible not to think of the FUBAR star and not hear the accent. Heck, Chris Hemsworth did it in front of Arnold in this funny Netflix clip. The accent is integral to the success of famous lines like, “It’s not a tumor!” And while the actor’s surname is lengthy, it’s not synonymous with Hollywood action, so Hamill was 0-for-2 on those recommendations. 

Still, Mark Hamill made more than a few smart decisions in Hollywood. You will see him thrive if you choose to watch the Star Wars movies in order. And while his time in that universe has come to an end, his legacy will hang over any and all upcoming Star Wars projects, particularly if Lucasfilm is able to get that announced Rey film off the ground with Daisy Ridley back in the lead role. We shall see.

Mark Hamill has had quite the career, as he’s been in Broadway shows, voiced some of the most iconic characters of all time, and been in dozens of movies. However, the legendary actor will probably always be best known for playing the hero of the original Star Wars trilogy, Luke Skywalker. The actor returned to the role for the sequel trilogy and did work on some of the TV shows as well. However, when asked if he would ever jump back into to the iconic franchise again for one of Disney’s planned Star Wars spin-offs, he didn’t seem keen on the notion. In fact, he says "they don't need Luke anymore."

The beloved star recently sat down with CBS Sunday Morning to talk about his career and what it's like to be cemented in cinematic history as one of the most iconic movie characters. The actor reflected on the role fondly and had good things to say about his experience working on the films. However, there's a key reason why he believes the producers don't need his character at this point. He explained:

He’s right, Disney does have many stories to tell. There are more than a few upcoming projects planned for the Star Wars Universe including the TV shows The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew. And of course, there's also the exciting movie plans, which features a movie starring Daisy Ridley's Rey. While the Skywalker Saga may have come to a close, Disney is clearly not done with the titular family, so I don’t think Lucasfilm is necessarily finished with Luke. There are so many ways he could come back, as he could be a Force Ghost or show up in a flashback.

In fact, Luke has returned to the Star Wars consciousness since the character's death in The Last Jedi and brief return in The Rise of Skywalker. He appeared on The Mandalorian, recreated with a combination of digital and practical methods. Mark Hamill helped with the process on set and was even more involved with this digital version of the character when he showed up in The Book of Boba Fett. Though this approach works, Hamill isn't opposed to the hero being recast with a younger actor. Given his recent statements, that may be the best course of action that can be taken now. But then again, he did mention that he'd “never say never." 

While there may not currently be any plans to bring back Luke Skywalker, the Emmy winner has still been plenty busy with other projects outside of the galaxy far, far away. He's a prolific voice actor, with several animated projects under his belt and many more to come. He's also set to star in the adaptation of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck, alongside Tom Hiddleston. In addition, he is part of the cast for The Fall of the House of Usher, a miniseries hitting Netflix later this year. So he'll be popping up on screens both big and small in the near future, though I'm sure fans will continue to hold out hope for Luke's return.

You can catch Mark Hamill’s latest film, The Machine, which is currently playing in theaters nationwide. Fans can also revisit his legendary performance in the original Star Wars films, which are all available to stream now with a Disney+ subscription.

Mark Hamill is without a doubt one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, as he’s endeared himself to audiences over the years through his memorable performances. While he’s brought more than a few notable characters to life in his time, the one that arguably stands above the rest is Star Wars’ Luke Skywalker. Hamill is still widely recognized for his role as the courageous Jedi, and he seems to have accepted that notoriety. However, there was a time at which he sought to distance himself from George Lucas’ galaxy far, far away. It was at that point that co-star Carrie Fisher bestowed a brutal piece of advice upon him. 

Near the end of the Original Trilogy, the now-71-year-old actor wanted to flex different acting muscles. One of the ways he sought to do so was by acting in a number of Broadway productions, with a particularly notable one being Amadeus. From 1982 to 1983, Mark Hamill played the titular role and did so effectively. So when he learned that filmmaker Miloš Forman was directing a feature-film adaptation, Hamill threw his hat in the casting ring. Unfortunately, for him, Forman wasn’t too keen on casting the sci-fi icon: 

While recounting this story on CBS’ Sunday Morning, the star admitted that he was disappointed by the rejection but appreciated the director’s honesty. He also recalled that around the same time, he had a discussion with the always-vivacious Carrie Fisher. The late, great actress apparently learned that her on-screen sibling had attempted to somewhat hide his connection to Star Wars while doing the play. From there, she said something that has seemingly resonated with him since: 

The When Harry Met Sally… alum certainly had a way with words, didn’t she? But in all seriousness, she made a very good point. There’s probably no use in running away from an IP and fandom that are just so strong. I’ve never headlined a major franchise myself, but I’d imagine that it may just be easier for a star to simply embrace a role and the love that comes with it.

Based on his interviews and the social media posts he’s shared, Mark Hamill doesn’t stray from his Star Wars roots these days. He doesn’t hesitate to share cool BTS stories about auditions, the filmmaking process and more. There are also the sweet birthday shoutouts he honors Harrison Ford, Alec Guinness and more with. And of course, Hamill hasn’t forgotten his faux sister, as he’s shared some sweet throwbacks involving Carrie Fisher. The actor also honored Fisher when she received her star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this year.

It would seem that George Lucas’ brainchild did far more than help launch Mark Hamill’s career into the stratosphere. The massive entertainment property also gave him lasting relationships with fellow actors – one of which, thankfully, didn’t mind being honest with him. I, for one, am happy that he continues to reference the franchise fondly and sincerely hope he continues to get love for his performance as Luke Skywalker for generations to come. 

You can check out that Star Wars work by streaming the films of the Skywalker Saga using a Disney+ subscription.

Of course, multiple generations recognize Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. However, for many 1990s kids and beyond, Hamill is also the person they think of when it comes to The Joker in the DC Animated Universe. However, before scoring his role in Batman: The Animated Series, the Star Wars alum looked to another 1980s star – Michael Keaton – for inspiration, and explained how his Batman performance influenced his Joker audition.

The Luke Skywalker actor opened up about Keaton's Batman’s influence as he answered the internet’s most burning questions about him in the Wired Autocomplete Interview. While generations of Batman fans call Michael Keaton their Caped Crusader, that wasn’t always the case. Hamill opened up about how the Mr. Mom star overcame some initial backlash, and revealed how the actor's experience gave him the confidence to audition for The Joker.

Despite the excitement surrounding Keaton putting on the cape and cowl once again in the second The Flash trailer, his initial casting faced some pushback from comic book fans. Before Batman, he was known more for his comedic performances in films like Mr. Mom and Night Shift. The comic book faithful were scared he wouldn’t embrace the edgy darkness of the Dark Knight. Fortunately, Keaton sealed the deal upon the first movie’s release.

Thankfully, the Oscar nominee’s reception paved the way for Mark Hamill. He was optimistic about his chances to land The Joker, but he still had a bit of apprehension before his audition. He felt being typecast as Luke Skywalker would stop him from landing the voice role. That still didn’t stop him from going all in to play Batman’s most prominent archnemesis though, as he explained:

Well, Hamill was wrong… and he landed the iconic role. However, after scoring the voice role, he almost passed it up feeling like he couldn’t do it. After playing the Crown Prince of Crime for three decades, the 71-year-old actor referred to the DC supervillain as his favorite role since The Joker is “insane,” which makes “him never boring” because he creates “chaos wherever he goes.” As expected, the movie icon gets asked to perform The Joker’s laugh all the time by fans of all ages.

As fans wait for more Joker performances, Mark Hamill is currently promoting the comedy film The Machine, which is in theaters right now. Moviegoers will get to see Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight once more when The Flash hits theaters on June 16. Also, while we wait for various other DC TV shows and movies to come out, you can watch Batman: The Animated Series and 1989’s Batman by Max subscription.