Mark Hamill says the power is on President Biden’s side — the actor unexpectedly showed up in the White House briefing room on Friday and cleverly gave the commander in chief a nickname inspired by “Star Wars.”
Hamill, wearing sunglasses, greeted reporters at the beginning of the White House’s press briefing by asking, “How many of you had ‘Mark Hamill will lead the press briefing’ on your bingo cards?”
Hamill, best known for portraying Luke Skywalker, mentioned, “I just had the chance to meet the president, and he gifted me these aviator glasses.”
When questioned about his visit to the Oval Office with Biden, Hamill revealed, “I addressed him as ‘Mr. President.’ He responded, ‘You can call me Joe.'”
He then humorously suggested, “I asked, ‘Can I refer to you as Joe-B-Wan Kenobi?’ which is a witty reference to the renowned Jedi master character in the galactic series.
Expressing admiration for Biden’s legislative achievements, Hamill declared, “Once again, I want to express my gratitude, which demonstrates how one person can have such a positive and influential impact on our lives.”
The 72-year-old actor’s presence in the White House briefing room is not his first visit to the presidential residence. He has been a frequent critic of former President Trump. “It was really remarkable to me because I was invited to the Carter White House, and I visited. I also visited the Obama White House, but I never had the opportunity to enter the Oval Office during a large gathering.”
“So this one was truly special,” Hamill added.
In the past, Hamill had been to the White House, including visits during the Carter and Obama administrations, but this visit was particularly meaningful for him.
