25 actors that could play Luke Skywalker next in Star Wars

15. Freddie Highmore

Whereas most actors on this list have prior experience with either physical combat or a large-scale blockbuster, Freddie Highmore may be the only exception. Instead, his filmography consists of a number of diverse projects ranging from frontrunning the brilliant Bates Motel to the critically acclaimed The Good Doctor, for which Highmore earned a Golden Globe nomination as Dr. Shaun Murphy.

I have only seen the opening episode of that series, but it was enough to make Highmore stick out in my mind. He possesses youthful energy that evokes memories of Skywalker in A New Hope, but also the ability to dive much deeper into a character’s mental state, which we have seen before in Return of the Jedi and The Last Jedi. Highmore could bring those types of moments to life but also reveal the inner conflict a Jedi undergoes.

It is something Highmore has witnessed in his life as well. He grew up as a child star yet leaned on his support group and avoids social media to stay grounded ever since. In that same feature, he makes an interesting note of the fact that he took some time to finish school, attend a university and develop the “real-life experience to portray these characters.” Maybe Skywalker could become one of them.