It might be the legendary Mark Hamill‘s birthday, but he’s in the spirit of giving gifts this year instead of receiving them, and what he shared with his fans this morning is as heartwarming as it is a reason to celebrate.
Hamill took to Twitter this morning with a few special snapshots of birthdays past and “much more recent,” if the images pulled at your heartstrings, you’re not alone. We’ve been fans of Hamill for our entire lives; we grew up with him as our intergalactic leader, Luke Skywalker, and to see him in stages of yesteryears feels like quite a treat.
He is celebrating turning the big 72 today, and we have to say that it’s been over seven decades of a life well-lived, and we’re hoping for many more. He doesn’t share his specific age in each snapshot, but you can see that each youthful snap highlights eyes and a smile full of joy, excitement, and a zest for life, things he’s held closely onto throughout his years.
The replies from friends, family, and fans are all, as to be expected, shouts of praise for his career so far, the impact he’s had on all of us, and many wishes for a fantastic birthday for the actor.
The replies from friends, family, and fans are all, as to be expected, shouts of praise for his career so far, the impact he’s had on all of us, and many wishes for a fantastic birthday for the actor. While the praise is well deserved, Hamill isn’t the kind of actor who goes into each project with the expectation that it’ll be a sweeping success; in fact, he wasn’t aware of the impact of Star Wars until fans surrounded him without even realizing it.
In his Eulogy for long-time friend turned family member Carrie Fisher, he said that they were unaware of what Star Wars was doing until it was right in front of their faces:
“We had no idea the impact Star Wars would have on the world. I remember we were out on tour right before the movie opened. By the time, we got to Chicago, there was a crowd at the airport. I said, hey look, you guys, there must be somebody famous on the plane. I was looking around to see who it might be. And then in the crowd I saw a kid dressed in a Han Solo vest. Then I saw girl dressed like Princess Leia. I said, oh my God, look, Carrie, there’s somebody dressed just like you. She’s got the buns on her head!”
Hamill speaks of his time in a galaxy far far away with a fondness that reminds us all how incredible it is to be a fan of something so powerful. In a chat with Entertainment Weekly, he shared that he almost still doesn’t feel “worthy” of the glory of Star Wars.
“At the last Celebration I spoke before an auditorium full of people and I could just feel the affection and the positive feelings that they were exuding. It was actually moving. I remember thinking, “I’m not worthy,” because Star Wars is so much bigger than all of us. It’s not something that I’m reminded of every day, so to see that fandom in all its raw glory was overwhelming.”
For fans, the true glory of Star Wars is the dedication and passion of the actors and actresses who breathed life into the characters we love (and loathe), and Hamill is one of the greatest. So, as he reflects upon his life so far, gifting us images of his growing up, we’re wishing him the most magical birthday yet and many years of still being blown away by the impact he’s helped leave on this world.
Happy Birthday Mark Hamill; may you feel celebrated from this galaxy to the one far, far away!
