The Machine Cast and Crew Talk Working With Mark Hamill (Exclusive)

The Machine was released in theaters this weekend, and the action/comedy sees comedian Bert Kreischer playing himself in an adventure that’s based on his true, viral stand-up story. In the story, Kreischer talks about taking a class trip to Russia while in college during the 1990s, and it led to him befriending mobsters and ultimately robbing a train. The film is a fictionalized version of the story that follows Kreischer 23 years later as the Russian mob comes looking for him and one of the items he stole. He gets forced to return to Russia, this time with his father, who is played by Star Wars legend, Mark Hamill. ComicBook.com attended The Machine premiere earlier this week and spoke to Kreischer as well as director Peter Atencio about working with Hamill. 

“Oh, yeah,” Kreischer said when asked if he’s a Star Wars fan. “I mean, I’m that age. 47 years ago today, Star Wars came out. I’m telling you, that is my guy. That is my guy. And Luke was my hero. You’re not five years old going, ‘I want to be Han Solo.’ When you’re 35 you’re like, ‘Han Solo’s pretty badass.’”

When asked what it was like having actors play his real family members, Kreischer explained, “Well, it’s so funny. We lived in Serbia together for three months. And so they feel like they’re real family. I just made dinner for the woman who played my wife and my wife the other day. My daughter Georgia is texting with the girl that plays her, Jess Gabor, and they’re all meeting up here. And I’m about to go hang out with Mark Hamill and my dad … I mean, it’s crazy.”

“It was surreal,” Atencio said of directing Hamill. “Every day I had to snap myself out of childhood me who was just wanted to worship the ground that he walked on. So it was a dream come true. And he’s so humble and so nice. He’s everything you can really want Luke Skywalker to be … Yeah, he’s amazing.”

During the interview, Atencio also talked more about filming in Serbia.

“It was great. The people of Serbia are amazing,” Atencio shared. “They make great movies there already, so there’s a great history of filmmaking, and they just threw themselves into it. They wanted to impress the rest of the world. They don’t get the chance to make many big Hollywood movies, so they delivered above and beyond our expectations and they make the movie what it is. “

The Machine is now playing in theaters.