Actors Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill at the China premiere of ‘Star Wars’ (top). Reuters

Unless you hang around to read the credits at the end of a television show, the addition of Mark Hamill to the cast of the History Channel’s “Knightfall” would seem like a rare move for the actor, who will forever be known as Luke Skywalker. But Hamill’s no stranger to TV, and that doesn’t count a recent guest appearance on “The Big Bang Theory.”

Hamill has hundreds of television credits, but mostly as a voice actor in the animated “Avengers Assemble,” “Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia,” “Miles from Tomorrowland,” “Justice League Action,” “Regular Show” and “Ultimate Spider-Man.” Giving voice to the Joker in multiple Batman animated series has kept him busy.

“With voice-over, they cast with their ears, not their eyes. So you’re able to do a lot more diverse characters. I rarely use dialects in on-camera, but in voiceover you can do Australian, Italian, German.

The sky is the limit,” Hamill says. “So that was one part of the appeal of this role is it was live action, and I was going to be able to do something that was really in the character actor category. So it was one of those things that it was too good to pass up for me.”

Of course, there was his recent return to the “Star Wars” franchise with appearances in “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi.” The acting force was plenty strong before the executive producers of “Knightfall” approached Hamill.

And I just thought, ‘I’ve never been offered anything like this before.’ I’d never done a character quite like this before, a religious zealot, a man of deep convictions and, yet, such a paradox. I remember thinking he’s lecturing the troops and he says, ‘Once you become a Templar knight you shall become God’s executioners.’

“How could there be such a thing? I thought, ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ But that’s the thing.”

Hamill was flattered he was asked to tackle a character who is part soldier, sinner, teacher and leader. The way Hamill approached the character was as a medieval version of a drill sergeant. 

That fit the guideline Hamill has used over the years to not repeat himself when possible, and this was a huge change to take on a new challenge.

All the voiceover work Hamill has done helped him when he was coming up with the physical movements of the character.

“It really hit me when I went to my first wardrobe fitting and they just started putting on layers and layers and shoulder pads and a cape and a belt and an axe and a sword. It took upwards of two hours to be camera-ready,” Hamill says.

“But it really helps because you look at yourself and Mark Hamill disappears, and you really feel like you can transform into someone completely different.”

The transformation was necessary because “Knightfall” explores a dark time in history from the Knight Templar perspective, embracing an authentically grittier, darker and more brutal medieval period than has ever been seen before.

It also goes deep into the clandestine world of the legendary brotherhood of warrior monks to learn who the knights were, how they lived and what they died believing.

Hamill plays Talus, a battle-hardened Knight Templar veteran of the Crusades, who survived captivity for 10 years in the Holy Land and is tasked with training the new initiates to the Order.

Talus has a moral conflict with Landry (Tom Cullen) as a Templar.

There is no way Hamill’s going to get away with talking about “Knightfall” and not answer a “Star Wars” question. In regards to whether the Knights Templar were an inspiration for George Lucas when creating the Jedi, Hamill takes a diplomatic approach.

“I’m sure George Lucas came from so many different inspirations of his own, both from the movies and literature,” Hamill says. “He was probably thinking more of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable because it was more idealized and glamorous, certainly, than the Templar Knights.

“But, there’s no question that his inspiration was rooted, partially, in this mythology.”

Mark Hamill salutes Stan Lee

Kevin Smith, the filmmaker was somewhat nervous about hosting the evening’s tribute to the late Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee.

“I’m honoured to send the old man off in this way, and all I have to do is not cry as profusely as I know I’m going to,” he told The Times shortly before the ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

“He was into the glitz and glamour, so he would’ve loved this,” continued Smith. “It wasn’t about fame for the guy, but mainstream acceptance for what he did, because for years, decades, he didn’t think what he was making was good enough. This is what he’s waited for his whole life, and mercifully, he got it.”

Smith did have to hold back his tears when he recalled how he first met Lee by pitching his idol a role in the 1995 film “Mallrats,” and how he still couldn’t believe that they became true friends for the 25 years to follow.

“He clearly loved what he was doing,” said “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill, “and he had such a personality that came across the pages.”

Dwayne Johnson, William Shatner, George Takei, Mike Colter, David Tennant, Doug Jones and Ming-Na Wen also shared their thoughts via video messages. Said Wen, “Thank you for helping all of us to find the hero within ourselves.”

Additionally, the evening included remarks from a slew of collaborators such as “Blade” creator Marc Wolfman, “Fantastic Four” creator George Perez, former Marvel executive Avi Arad, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and Nikki Frakes, who co-directed a 2011 documentary on Lee.

Nearly three months since Lee died at age 95, the event was nearly sold out, packed with fans dressed in character tees and elaborate cosplay outfits.

Smith said he hopes that Hollywood’s gratitude toward Lee continues — particularly at the upcoming Oscars. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” nabbed an animated film nomination, “Avengers: Infinity War” is up for visual effects, and “Black Panther” is the first superhero movie ever included in the coveted best picture category.

Tribune News Service