Star Wars legend Mark Hamill recently revealed that he couldn't hear Darth Vader's most iconic The Empire Strikes Back line during filming. Hamill is best known for playing Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy. He later reprised his role as Luke in the Star Wars sequel film trilogy and in The Mandalorian season 2 finale. Hamill frequently interacts with fans on social media, answering questions about Star Wars with his trademark sense of humor, like the time he addressed a wild Luke Skywalker conspiracy theory.
One of the most famous scenes in Star Wars history is the exchange between Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) and Luke on Cloud City during the climax of The Empire Strikes Back. Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father, and Luke responds with an earth-shattering scream of "No!" Although Vader's decision to reveal the truth to Luke was based on his desire to turn Luke to the Dark Side, the big reveal ironically led Vader back to the light later on in Return of the Jedi as the redeemed Anakin Skywalker.
Television personality Aaron Sagers asked Hamill on Twitter how many takes Hamill had to do of the, "No, that's impossible!" line. Hamill responded with some interesting behind-the-scenes information about how the scene went during filming. "It's crucial to warm up vocally prior to any demanding challenges," he wrote. "FYI-In that scene- NOTHING could be heard over the deafening roar of the wind-machines. I spoke my lines based on Vader's gestures, unable to hear a word he said. Everything was dubbed in later in post-production." Check out Hamill's tweet below.
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Hamill's reveal over how he had to act during the iconic scene is interesting. It definitely warrants a re-watch of the moment. The fact that Hamill still managed to produce such a genuinely shocked reaction in spite of being unable to hear Vader is a testament to his acting ability. In addition to George Lucas himself and director Irvin Kershner, Hamill was the only other person who knew about the shocking twist a year before filming of The Empire Strikes Back began.
Even though Hamill knew what he was supposed to be reacting to over the sound of the wind machines, the final take of his shocked reaction was still an impressive feat. Hamill's interactions with fans on social media have also been a fun and insightful way to learn more about what filming the original trilogy was like. It's nice to know that Hamill still has a great love for Star Wars years after the original trilogy premiered. He's certainly done a great job of keeping Luke's legacy alive by being kind to Star Wars fans, like the time on Twitter when he praised a dad for his real-life Jedi parenting skills.
The big twist from Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back is without a doubt one of the biggest moments in Star Wars and pop culture history. Luke's reaction was a defining character moment and set him on the path to becoming a great Jedi. In real life, Hamill continues to be a treasure to the Star Wars fandom by always keeping things positive and entertaining.
Source: Mark Hamill/Twitter