Mark Hamill Was Reluctant to Play Luke Skywalker Again

Mark Hamill recently sat down with the New York Times to talk about life and Star Wars to promote Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The interview reveals a lot of interesting points about Hamill, including his time on Broadway as well as custom shirts he and his other Star Wars co-stars had made after a less than stellar review came out. The most telling thing for me though was that Hamill was not as ecstatic about reprising the role of Luke Skywalker for the new trilogy (that started with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015) as Carrie Fisher was. The article goes on to say:

“When Mr. Lucas said their characters would be included in these new films if they wanted to play them, Mr. Hamill said, “I was completely stunned. Carrie, not a minute went by — she slapped the table and goes, ‘I’m in!’ I said, ‘Carrie, poker face!’”

Mr. Hamill needed more time to think. “I was just really scared,” he said. “I thought, why mess with it? The idea of catching lightning in a bottle twice was ridiculously remote.”

He also feared that audiences would reject him and his veteran co-stars, all these years after their “Star Wars” heyday. “No one wants to see the 50-, 60-, 70-year-old versions of us, running around, bumping heads on the Death Star,” he said. “It’s sad.”

Mr. Hamill thought he would have some cover to refuse “The Force Awakens,” expecting that Mr. Ford would not return.

“He’s too old and too rich and too cranky,” Mr. Hamill said. “He’s not going to do this.” But when Mr. Ford said yes, Mr. Hamill realized he had to agree, too: “Can you imagine if I was the only one to say no? I’d be the most hated man in nerd-dom.””

Well, he’s not wrong there. I would’ve been very upset with him if he had refused. I’m really glad he signed on and am incredibly excited to see more than just a few seconds of him in the new movie.

Are you guys glad that Hamill signed back on after all these years?

Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters December 15, 2017.