Believe it or not, the cast of most of your favorite films almost turned out completely different. It’s the nature of the movie industry to go through intense alterations before we ever see the final product in the theater, and casting is one of the most heavily impacted aspects. Casting directors, directors, and even producers hold auditions to cast the perfect actors to bring their vision to life. Depending on the size of the film, the audition process can sometimes go through multiple rounds as they whittle down their pool of potential actors. Any actor will tell you that all it takes is onebad audition to lose major roles. Even major franchises likeStar Warshold grueling audition processes, and it’s interesting to think that it would have looked totally different if other actors had nailed their auditions.
Updated October 18th, 2022: This article has been updated with more information regarding the actors who almost played Luke Skywalker.
The story of a galaxy far, far away is just like every other major franchise: thousands of performers tried out for nearly every role, but the actors we know and love are the ones who got their big break because of the beloved franchise. Actors like Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford (whohad a completely different careerbefore being cast as Han Solo) rose to stardom after being introduced to theStar Warsuniverse. Indeed, the part of Luke Skywalker was highly sought after — who knows how the films might have played out if Hamill hadn’t scored the role? Here’s a brief look at some of the actors who were almost cast as Luke Skywalker.
4Kurt Russell
If you think a different Luke Skywalker would have changed the franchise enough, imagine having another actor play Han Solo! WhenKurt Russellfirst auditioned forStar Wars, he tried out for both roles. Russell was a child star who was famous for his appearances in various Disney projects includingThe Computer Who Wore Tennis ShoesandThe Barefoot Executiveso he seemed like a good fit for the young farm boy, but the actor also wanted to break away from his child star image and wanted a rugged character like Han Solo.
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In an interview withComicbook.com, Russell opened up about George Lucas' indecision on casting the actor. After a period of waiting and not getting an answer from the director, Russell decided to move forward with the Western television showQuestinstead. We can’t say for certain, but Russell probably would have been a great fit for either role. His suave, cowboy demeanor would have been ideal for Han’s character, and his youthful attitude would have also done wonders for Luke. Had Russell gotten the part, it is unlikely he would have been able to star in some of his most iconic films likeEscape from New YorkorThe Thing.
3Charles Martin Smith
Though director George Lucas is more well-known for theStar Warsfranchise than his other works,American Graffitiis another popular work in his filmography that films success helped secureStar Warsfunding. By the timeCharles Martin Smithauditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker, he’d already starred as Terry ‘The Toad’ Fields in the movie written by Lucas.
Despite his efforts, Smith wasn’t able to land the part likely due to Lucas wanting to work with actors he had not worked with before (this is why Harrison Ford was originally not allowed to audition for Han Solo as he also stared inAmerican Graffiti). Smith however did go on to become a successful director himself. In fact, Smith directed the pilot episode that would eventually blossom intoBuffy the Vampire Slayeras well as movies likeAir BudandThe Snow Walker.
2William Katt
Remember how Kurt Russell tried out for both Luke and Han? Fun fact: he auditioned for the characters alongside William Katt, another actor vying for the part of the world’s returning Jedi. Unlike his colleague, Katt was only auditioning for Luke. You can actually watch his audition tape with Kurt Russell onYouTuberight now.
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While Katt did not land the role of Luke Skywalker inStar Wars, the audition did land him a role inCarrieas that film’s director Brian De Palma was a friend of George Lucas and both were auditioning actors together. Katt would later go on to star in the hit television seriesThe Greatest American Hero. Having gone on to play a strong yet mild-tempered superhero inThe Greatest American Hero, Katt would have been another excellent choice for Luke’s part. Given that Luke is young and a bit naive in the first fewStar Warsentries, Katt’s ability to blend a more gentle nature with action-packed heroism would have served him well in the franchise.
1Sebastian Stan
Sebastian Stannever formally auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker in anyStar Warsadaptation, but fans speculated for years on whether the actor would join the cast ofThe Mandalorianon Disney+ as a younger Luke, precisely because of how much Stan looks like a younger Hamill. The rumors and theories have circulated for so long that both Hamill and Stan have commented on them, with the former remarking on the latter’s impressive skills as an actor onGood Morning America.According to Hamill:
[Stan] doesn’t need me. He’s an accomplished enough actor to get in on his own. And I shouldn’t put my thumb on the scale because it’s not my choice, it’s Disney and Lucasfilm, and I don’t want to cut short any other potential Lukes. I’d love to work with him. Heck, I’d play his father any day.
Stan hasn’t officiallyruled out the possibilityof donning Luke’s iconic robes in the future, and he would be the ideal choice for any modernStar Warsmedia that showcases Luke in his prime. Stan and Hamill look incredibly identical, so he would portray a picture-perfect Luke without the need for CGI. There currently is much debate about the use of CGI deep fakes to continue the story of Hamill’s Luke Skywalker on the Disney+ series, and while the box officefailureSolo: A Star Wars Storymight have scared Lucasfilm off from recasting famousStar Warscharacters, the studio should consider Stan to take on the role of Luke Skywalker if they insist on keeping Luke Skywalker post-Return of the Jedia major character.
