‘Star Wars’ Cost Mark Hamill the Lead Role in ‘Amadeus,’ but He’s Glad the Director Said That ‘Right to My Face’
thewrap.com“Star Wars,” but the blessing of being one of the most famous movie heroes in film history also proved to be a curse when he tried to move his career beyond the galaxy far, far away – and into the 18th century to play composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.Hamill discussed how his career changed dramatically on CBS’ “Sunday Morning,” recalling how he and co-stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher were blown away by the immediate success of “Star Wars” in 1977 and seeing fans dressed like their characters, “homemade lightsabers and all.”That popularity got even more intense after “The Empire Strikes Back” was released in 1980, and with it the most famous twist in movie history.
At that point, Hamill wanted to stretch his acting muscles and show that there’s more to him than Luke, and so he was cast as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Tony-winning Broadway play “Amadeus” during its original Broadway run, taking over for original lead actor Tim Curry.
But when director Milos Forman was casting for his 1984 film adaptation of “Amadeus,” Hamill’s attempt to convert his stage experience with the role into a big post-“Star Wars” job in Hollywood was flatly denied. “I said, ‘You know, I’d really love a chance at playing Mozart,'” recalled Hamill, who did his best impression of the Czech filmmaker to respond to his own comment. “And he said, ‘Oh, no, no, no.
The Luke Skywalker is not to be being the Mozart.’ So, I thought, well, at least he’s honest! […] “I mean, I at least admired the fact that he said it right to my face.
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