Mark Hamill Is Helping Ukraine Drone Russians
Mark Hamill is donating his time and energy to a fundraising program designed to put drones under the control of Ukrainian citizens looking to defend themselves from invading Russian forces.
Mark Hamill is preparing to help another set of rebels face down an empire as, according to CNN, the actor will be stepping into an ambassadorship for the UNITED24 fundraising program where he will pour his time into getting the Army of Drones project up and running. The new initiative will see a giant number of drones distributed to folks in Ukraine who may need them to help protect their lives and land. Through the help of the fundraiser, those behind the mission will lead pilot training as well as instruct general upkeep and repair for the new agey tools.
The news should come as a surprise to no one who knows the legendary actor from outside his roles in the limelight as he holds firmly to similar political standings as his on-screen Star Wars character, Luke Skywalker.
The news surrounding Mark Hamill’s new position was announced on Thursday during an online call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Praising the Batman: The Animated Series voice actor, Zelenskyy said that adding his name to the cause “means a lot” to the President and his fellow Ukrainians. Throwing in a Star Wars reference for good measure, Zelenskyy added that just like in the franchise, “good will triumph over evil and light will overcome darkness.”
A longtime supporter of the Ukrainian people, Mark Hamill gave a statement that mentioned that their battle with Russia has been a “long and unequal fight” with the invaded country clearly needing more help than they’ve received. Commenting that he was “honored” to climb aboard and that he would lend whatever service he could to the Ukrainian forces, Hamill said that the project was imperative to help those living in the country hold onto the place that they call home. Also not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to drop a Star Wars reference, the star rounded out his statement by saying that the world needs to join forces in order to help Ukraine win against “the evil empire.”
Since Russia first invaded Ukraine back in February, it’s been a bumpy road for the smaller country to fight off their attackers. With the tide turning a bit in recent days, more so in Ukraine’s favor, many celebrities like Mark Hamill have been stepping forward and drawing a line in the sand for one country or the other.
Outside the world of politics, we can soon expect to see Mark Hamill gracing our screens and the universe of Star Wars in Disney+’s upcoming series, Ahsoka. The longtime fan favorite actor is expected to pick up a lightsaber all over again and reprise his role of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker in the Rosario Dawson led series. Like his character’s appearances in Disney+’s other recent Star Wars based shows, The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, we can expect production to digitally de-age the actor, leaving us with a 30-something-year-old Luke.
A man with a decade spanning career of taking down the bullying powers of bad guys around the galaxy, we can think of no better premiere ambassador for the Army of Drones project than Mark Hamill. With his name just the first being added to the new mission, there’s no telling how far the group’s combined efforts will go towards helping the Ukrainian people.
