NSYNC, Michael Jackson and other stars who almost appeared in Star Wars movies

William Katt and Robby Benson

The star of The Greatest American Hero could have been a star in Star Wars.

William Katt, who played Mr. H. on the sitcom Greatest American Hero from 1981 to 1983, was in the running to play Luke Skywalker before Mark Hamill got the part.

Katt’s time auditioning, like Sissy Spacek, helped him secure a key role in Carrie as the main character’s prom date.

Robby Benson was also considered. Benson is probably best known for providing the voice of the Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Will Seltzer — who appeared in Johnny Dangerously and other roles, including an eight-episode arc on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman — was another finalist for Luke.

In recent years, Hamill watched the audition tapes of the other actors who were considered for the role.

“They were all great,” Hamill told The New York Times. “They all could have been really good Luke Skywalkers, which really makes me appreciate the arbitrariness.”

But there would only be one Luke Skywalker, and the role ended up going to the son of a Navy captain, someone who had a string of TV appearances but no prior breakout roles. Robert Englund — who’d later find fame as Freddy Kruger — suggested to Hamill to audition for Star Wars, and the rest is movie history.

What other actors do you wish would have been cast in the Star Wars movies?