Mark Hamill and George Takei push for mask awareness amid coronavirus surge

Stars collided when Mark Hamill and George Takei both promoted the wearing of face masks to slow the spread of coronavirus Sunday.

Hamill, who established himself as a living sci-fi legend in 1977 when he first played Luke Skywalker in “Star Wars,” posted a photo of his character donning a helmet while training to be a Jedi warrior.

“Real Men Wears Masks,” the 68-year-old star captioned that photo.

In the “Star Wars” saga, Skywalker is among the most powerful of an ancient race of warriors who fought the forces of evil.

Takei earned his space cred by starring as Lieutenant Sulu in the original “Star Trek” TV series from 1966 to 1969, then reprising that role for numerous films advancing that sci-fi franchise. During World War II, he and his family lived in Japanese internment camps in the U.S. He too tweeted that wearing a mask to contain the coronavirus outbreak isn’t rocket science.

“The fragility of folks who won’t wear a mask is truly breathtaking,” the 83-year-old actor tweeted Sunday night. “I lived for four years inside two internment camps, and I heard less bitching and whining there than I do today.”

Back on Earth, Vice President Mike Pence finally saw the light Sunday when he said forcefully during an event in Texas that masks are a good idea.

“People should continue to practice good hygiene, wash your hands, avoid touching your face and wear a mask wherever it’s indicated ... Or wherever you’re not able to practice the same kind of social distancing that would prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” Pence said.

Granted, his speech took place at at an event where a chorus of more than 100 singers performed without face coverings, according to CNN.

John Oliver can’t believe Trump missed a MAGA mask-branding opportunity

Pence and President Trump frequently make public appearances where they ignore warnings from the scientific community by eschewing facial coverings. This month, the president went back to hosting campaign rallies where many of his supporters did not wear masks.