'Star Wars' actor Mark Hamill admits he didn't actually dress as Trump at Comic-Con
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mark Hamill shared a photo of himself as Luke Skywalker on the first day of filming 'Star Wars.' (Reuters)
Mark Hamill admitted to mocking President Donald Trump with an undercover "Orange Vader" costume at Comic-Con 2018 in San Diego over the weekend — but it wasn't actually him after all.
The original Luke Skywalker of the "Star Wars" franchise claimed he was the one donning a blonde wig, orange storm trooper mask and white "Make the Death Star Great Again" polo shirt at the convention Saturday. The stormtrooper was also carrying a lightsaber-like golf club around.
"I was informed earlier today by a friend that I unknowingly took a photo of @HamillHimself during Comic-Con! Could it be true??" one eager Twitter user asked Hamill.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's true... ALL of it. #OrangeVader #MyFinalDayAtSDCC2018," Hamill joked in a tweet, which he pinned to the top of his page Monday morning.
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Several "Star Wars" fans who snapped photos of the masked stormtrooper were shocked.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"OMG! To know I was just 5 feet away from @HamillHimself !!!" one woman tweeted.
"Haha I've been trying to figure out what that big orange thing was you were caring since yesterday! Just shortly figured out it was a lightsaber golf club! #YouAreSoFrigginCreative Definitely know where @NathanHamill gets his talent from!😅" another added.
"Great cosplay!" a fan wrote, along with a photo of himself giving a thumbs-up.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But Hamill confirmed on Twitter hours later that he was just joking.
"Breaking News: FANS SLAM SHAM-HAM SCAM- Actor Mark Hamill says it was all in good fun & simply a joke meant to playfully mind-trick his fans. He claims (without proof) most people enjoyed his massive San Diego Comic Con-Job!" he tweeted, linking to an article posted by the The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The newspaper confirmed Monday afternoon "Orange Vader" was actually California native James Cherry. The cosplayer was photographed by the paper a year prior wearing the same costume.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It's no surprise fans believed Hamill would go undercover at the convention. Days earlier, he told fans he would be wandering around in disguise.
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"There's an unsubstantiated rumor I'm at #SDCC right now wearing a mask to avoid being recognized (I'm not)-But if I really WAS there in disguise, would I lie about it to fool people-secretly talk to fans-attend panels & have fun? (I would) #ComicConCon," Hamill wrote in an Instagram caption on Thursday, while holding up a newspaper with the headline "Where is Luke?"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The "Star Wars" veteran is also no stranger to taking jabs at Trump.
In February, the actor tweeted his excitement about getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, apparently mocking the president in the process by writing "someone got a 'star' for one crappy reality show."
In May, the star told The Washington Post that he gets "really upset" when people compare Trump — or Dick Cheney — to Darth Vader.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Cause Darth Vader repented. He saw the error of his ways. I don’t see either one of them doing that," he told the newspaper.
Some fans shared their disappointment with Hamill's "fake news."
"Always the tease. #ShamHamScam," one user wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS? 😆" another asked.
"More like Mark SCAMill amirite. Looks like we were the marks on this one," one user replied.
"Just remember Jerry... It's not a lie... if you believe it," Hamill replied to fans, quoting "Seinfeld" character George Costanza.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Morgan M. Evans contributed to this report.