Star Wars: Mark Hamill Recalls How Carrie Fisher Made Sure to Get Empire Strikes Back Crew Gear
The chemistry between Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in the original Star Wars [...]
The chemistry between Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in the original Star Wars trilogy is undeniable, with that sense of camaraderie extending behind the scenes, as Hamill recalled how Fisher suffered the freezing temperatures of Norway to not only spend time with her co-stars, but also to make sure she got a Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back crew jacket. Fans of the franchise are well aware of the iconic jackets, which Columbia Sportwear even went on to replicate the jackets to sell to fans, albeit for a hefty $500 price tag. Back in 1979, the parkas were clearly even harder to obtain.
"[First] day of Empire in Finse, Norway," Hamill captioned a behind-the-scenes photo of the pair on Twitter. "She had no scenes there, but came along just to hang out & not miss any of the fun. She always regretted not going to Tunisia for [Star Wars: A New Hope]."
1st day of Empire in Finse, Norway. She had no scenes there, but came along just to hang out & not miss any of the fun. She always regretted not going to Tunisia for SW. It was also a way to make sure she got her own crew snow-jacket. (and yes, I still have mine)❄️#TrueStory https://t.co/mfg5G1Plri
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) February 12, 2021
He added, "It was also a way to make sure she got her own crew snow-jacket. (and yes, I still have mine)."
Understandably, capturing the look and feel of a planet covered in ice was a difficult task, especially back in the '70s when crews didn't always have the luxuries of massive soundstages to stand in for harsh climates. While A New Hope also had challenging terrain, it was an unknown franchise that was going over budget, making the crew adopt impromptu outfits to handle the heat. The success of that original film allowed for custom parkas, hats, and goggles to help the cast and crew stay comfortable.
The nature of Star Wars fandom means that audiences not only seek out connections to what the characters wore on-screen, but also has them attempt to replicate even the most innocuous of behind-the-scenes relics. With only a few dozen sets of parkas being made for the original shoot, Hamill's claims that he still has his original jacket from the set might make it one of the rarest collectibles that even Luke Skywalker himself owns.
Columbia's parka replications sold out almost immediately.
What do you think of the photo? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!