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 one bad audition to lose major roles. Even major franchises like Star Wars hold 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 (who had a completely different career before being cast as Han Solo) rose to stardom after being introduced to the Star Wars universe. 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.
4 Kurt Russell
Via: 20th Century Fox
If you think a different Luke Skywalker would have changed the franchise enough, imagine having another actor play Han Solo! When Kurt Russell first auditioned for Star Wars, he tried out for both roles. Russell was a child star who was famous for his appearances in various Disney projects including The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes and The Barefoot Executive so 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.
In an interview with Comicbook.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 show Quest instead. 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 like Escape from New York or The Thing.
3 Charles Martin Smith
Universal Pictures
Though director George Lucas is more well-known for the Star Wars franchise than his other works, American Graffiti is another popular work in his filmography that films success helped secure Star Wars funding. By the time Charles Martin Smith auditioned 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 in American Graffiti). Smith however did go on to become a successful director himself. In fact, Smith directed the pilot episode that would eventually blossom into Buffy the Vampire Slayer as well as movies like Air Bud and The Snow Walker.
2 William Katt
Via: Stephen J. Cannell Productions
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 on YouTube right now.
While Katt did not land the role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, the audition did land him a role in Carrie as 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 series The Greatest American Hero. Having gone on to play a strong yet mild-tempered superhero in The 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 few Star Wars entries, Katt’s ability to blend a more gentle nature with action-packed heroism would have served him well in the franchise.
1 Sebastian Stan
Disney Platform Distribution
Sebastian Stan never formally auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker in any Star Wars adaptation, but fans speculated for years on whether the actor would join the cast of The Mandalorian on 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 on Good Morning America. According to Hamill:
Stan hasn’t officially ruled out the possibility of donning Luke’s iconic robes in the future, and he would be the ideal choice for any modern Star Wars media 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 office failure Solo: A Star Wars Story might have scared Lucasfilm off from recasting famous Star Wars characters, the studio should consider Stan to take on the role of Luke Skywalker if they insist on keeping Luke Skywalker post-Return of the Jedi a major character.
