Season two promises even more intrigue, political wrangling, and clandestine passions.
It also introduces us to a new character: Templar master, Talus.
They sent over a couple of screeners.
Id never heard of this show, but dont go by me.
My kids always say, Youve never heard of that?!.
I started watching this thing, and I was riveted.
It just transports you into another time and another place.
Id seenCamelotand the sort of movies you see on Turner Classic Movies.
Old age was considered 40.
After about 20 minutes, I thought, Oh no I have to do this.
I dont get offered things like this, historical dramas with a British cast!
A change, as so often, has proved every bit as good as a rest.
The only thing Ive done thats comparable to that would beAmadeuson Broadway.
A lot of times, you do things just because youve never done them before.
Hes abrasive and hard-edged and gritty, and I was flattered that they would think of me for that.
Its not for everyone.
you’ve got the option to only go by your own instincts, and I love the show.
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The superficial similarities between Talus and Luke Skywalker drew some comment online.
That didnt even occur to me until I said yes!
Then everyone on the internet was saying, oh, hes doing a knight again.
Obviously, George Lucas had so many influences, and certainly knights were something he modelled his characters after.
Its all these genres mixed up so that everything old is new again.
Other than that, I dont see a lot of similarities between Luke and Talus.
Talus is an intriguing character with a mysterious past.
Hes training all these initiates to become Templar knights.
Hes a true believer.
Theres all that sort of conflict in trying to figure out who that person is.
Landry and Talus have a very interesting dynamic between their characters, which doesnt stay the same.
It changes and it evolves in subtle ways.
As the promotional images have shown, Hamills undergone quite the physical transformation in the role.
Every time she puts them on, she has to take a little break.
So yeah, theres more than an hour in make-up every day.
Theres three scars, a beard and a wig.
All the actors inKnightfallhave been put through their paces in training, and Hamills no exception.
I took horseback riding lessons.
They dont make Westerns anymore!
If they made Westerns, Id probably be better at riding horses.
It all came back to me.
In terms of research, other cast members were on hand to help.
Both Tom Cullen and Simon Merrells, who play Landry and Tancried, have done research.
They gave me titles that they thought were the best to read.
I did sort of a cursory thing you know, you go on Wikipedia, he says, laughing.
Its a fascinating time period.
Ill be questioning this or that, and both of those guys are really well read on the subject.
He speaks warmly ofKnightfalls cast, especially Cullen.
I was a little worried.
You know, hes so talented and so handsome.
I was thinking, what if he turns out to be a really unlikeable person?
He just couldnt be nicer.
We get along so great.
I met him and it was like wed known each other for years.
The reality of the period, in all its muddy, bloody detail, can come as a shock.
They were so primitive in so many ways, in medicine and in science.
Their superstitions were huge.
It seemed to deglamorise the notion I had of the knights in shining armour.
Sometimes, things get a little too real.
Its really graphic in its violence.
Im not squeamish, I know all the tricks.
Theres a horrible wound, and I think, oh, good make-up job.
So its hard for me to get shocked the way my wife does.
But Tom and Simon and the directors are telling me that this season is more violent and darker.
Working in TV presents different challenges from making movies, but little seems to faze him.
I started in television, and I dont really discriminate.
I think a good part is a good part, wherever it is.
My agent would say, Well, youre doing this play off Broadway, its what, 300 seats?
and I never really thought of it that way.
George would say, come on, lets just shoot it, its only a movie.
I later said that, but timing and place is everything.
As a fan himself, he gets it.
It can get you into trouble, because I dont control the storylines.
Im sort of like a musician.
I read the music, and I have a go at play it to the best of my ability.
That doesnt necessarily mean I like the tune, but thats not my job.
In our day, it was three years apart.
Now theyre two years apart, with an independent movie (Rogue One,Solo) in between.
I say to the executives at Disney, Really?
Han Solo five months after our movie?
Give it a rest!
They say, well, we have to keep the schedule clear forMary Poppins.
But I can be mouthy, because you know, what are they gonna do, fire me?
Some decisions still rankle, though.
I just thought, Lukes never going to see his best friend again.
You look at it in a self-centred way.
I said that it was a big mistake that those three people would never reunite in any way.
I guess I was wrong, because nobody seems to care!
I have to stipulate that I care, but it didnt really seem to affect the larger audience.
Then the second thing was that they killed me off.
I thought: oh, okay, you should push my death off to the last one.
Thats what I was hoping when I came back: no cameos and a run-of-the-trilogy contract.
Did I get any of those things?
Because as far as Im concerned, the end ofVIIis really the beginning ofVIII.
I got one movie!
They totally hornswoggled (tricked) me.
Hes made his peace with any unfulfilled expectations.
Listen, I never expected to come back.
We had a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Thats what I said: why mess with it?
Its not something that worries me, because its all about the new generation, as it should be.
Some changes had to be made, however.
They had me walking by 3PO, not even acknowledging him.
I said: I cant do that!
He (The Last Jedis director, Rian Johnson) said, Okay, go over and do whatever.
So I went over, and I did whatever.
I like to think that would hey her, but nothing would be better than having her here.
He talks about Fisher, his friend of so many years, with immense fondness.
She was irrepressible and unforgettable, the one who banged the table and yelled Im in!
She was just always fun.
Id never get cast as the Joker in live action.
Im not tall enough!
I should be the size of Jeff Goldblum, at least.
With voiceovers, they cast with their ears not their eyes.
I finally got to do accents.
I thought there was some unwritten rule that only Meryl Streep could do accents!
I tell young people that I misread that script, and I thought I was playingClockKnocker.
Im so grateful to have been able to do as an adult what I loved as a kid.
So I got revenge on her!
Luke Skywalkers journey might be just about over, but Mark Hamills diverse career will continue to impress.
Knightfall season two will be coming to the UK on HISTORY this summer.
