When Freddy Krueger Auditioned For Star Wars And Helped Mark Hamill Become Luke Skywalker

At the Nashville Comic Expo, Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare On Elm Street series, revealed that Mark Hamill is currently in training to return as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode VII.  Englund also told a story about how he played a major part in Mark Hamill originally landing the role of Luke Skywalker in the 1977 Star Wars movie.Back in the seventies, Robert Englund and Mark Hamill were roommates, who were both just starting their careers in acting. “I went on an interview years and years and years ago when I had a full head of blonde hair, cascading down my back,” explained Englund. “And I was all buff from surfing. And I was up for the surfer in Apocalypse Now, but I was too old.”Englund added, “And I wanted to read for the cook, the Frederick Forest part, the chef on the boat in Apocalypse Now, but I was too young. But I was wearing really tight green jeans—remember green Levis—I was wearing really tight green Levis. And I had an old khaki military shirt from the thrift shop with my sleeves rolled up. And my shirt was unbuttoned, and I had some dog tags on. And I had a big pair of military boots on.”Englund continued, “They looked at me, and they sent me across the hall. And I got to read for Han Solo in Star Wars. Well, I didn’t get the part, because I was too young. But while I was there, I read the descriptions of the other characters. So I went home—I had a little apartment up in the hills, right near CBS studios, where Mark Hamill, my part-time roomie was starring in a show called The Texas Wheelers with Mary Tyler Moore and with Gary Busey.””And Mark was on my couch with a Heineken in one hand and a slab of cold pizza in the other. So, I said, ‘Mark, I think you might be right for this Luke Skykwalker,” explained Englund. “He got on the phone and the rest was history.”