- A fan said Mark Hamill could just tweet his name and “get thousands of likes.”
- He tested her theory, went viral, and began trending on Twitter.
- The “Star Wars” actor has a history of going viral, and frequently tweets about Donald Trump.
“Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill has gone viral on Twitter after tweeting his own name on Sunday.
The actor, who played Luke Skywalker in six of the films in the movie franchise, has been a trending topic on the site ever since he tweeted “Mark Hamill” in response to a tweet from Northern Ireland-based Twitter user Lauren McGinty, who said to the actor, “you could just tweet ‘Mark Hamill’ and you’d get thousands of likes.”
Hamill quoted her message and tweeted his name to his 4.3 million Twitter followers. The tweet, which is pinned to his profile, has received over half a million likes.
According to Twitter’s trending description, nearly 43,000 tweets have been made mentioning the phrase “Mark Hamill” since he tweeted his name.
—Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) September 5, 2021
McGinty, who uses the handle @LozzaBean12, commented on the trend with an Anchorman GIF saying, “Boy, that escalated quickly.”
The huge response to Hamill’s tweet has led other Twitter users in the film and TV industry to join in on the joke. “Star Trek” actor George Takei jokingly tweeted, “Mark Hamill. Now we wait.”
“This Is Us” actor Ken Olin wrote, “Will that work for anyone? Here goes: Mark Hamill.”
—George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) September 5, 2021
Several other verified Twitter accounts belonging to a US senate candidate, a bestselling author, an independent restaurant, and other organizations also jumped on the trend. The Twitter account of global digital dictionary Dictionary.com tweeted, “mark: a badge, brand, or other visible sign assumed or imposed. hamill: the last name of Mark Hamill.”
Many Twitter users noted the viral tweet’s likeness to a similar situation 10 years ago when former Member of Parliament for the UK Labour Party Ed Balls tweeted his own name.
The tweet was posted in error while trying to search his own name on April 28, 2011. Ever since, Twitter users have branded April 28 “Ed Balls Day,” and reshare the now-famous tweet every year.
Balls himself noted the similarity between the two situations, quote-tweeting Hamill’s tweet with the message, “You’re welcome.”
—Ed Balls (@edballs) September 5, 2021
Hamill is also known for voicing DC Comics villain The Joker in various video games, movies, and TV shows including “Batman: The Animated Series.”
Over the past few years, Hamill has built up a strong rapport with fans through social media. He went viral in May after commenting on a viral TikTok of a dog being terrified of Darth Vader when “Star Wars” was on TV. With the dog hiding behind the couch whenever Vader came on screen, Hamill joked, “Smart dog. I only wish I’d thought of hiding behind the couch when I first met him.”
He’s also built a fanbase on Twitter due to his outspoken political views. His criticism of Donald Trump alongside jokes at his expense frequently go viral, with the actor most recently referencing the former president by tweeting about his proposed “Trump Cards” that are purchasable to supporters.
Neither Hamill nor McGinty immediately responded to Insider’s request for comment.