Answer: Freddy Krueger

Although it would be years before his appearance as the terrifying horror villain Freddy Krueger in The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, we still have the man behind the mask, Robert Englund, to thank for pushing Mark Hamill toward his iconic role as Luke Skywalker.

Englund was auditioning for a role in Apocalypse Now when he wandered across the hall and peeked in on the auditions for Star Wars. While watching the auditions for the role of Luke Skywalker, he realized the role would be perfect for his good friend Mark Hamill. He contacted him, encouraged him to audition, Hamill won the role hands down and, in the process, became the face of one of the most recognized sci-fi characters of all time.