Mark Hamill has long been vocal about his thoughts on reprising Luke Skywalker for the sequel trilogy, and in recent interviews, he’s shared some behind-the-scenes insight that fans might not expect—particularly the advice he received from co-star Harrison Ford. Speaking to The Times, Hamill recalled Ford’s guidance during the early stages of filming The Force Awakens.
Ford reminded him that he had the deepest understanding of Luke’s essence, which helped Hamill approach the role with confidence. “He was incredibly supportive,” Hamill said of his longtime costar, “He reminded me that I knew Luke better than anyone else and to trust that.”
Hamill has long admired Ford’s craft, even admitting to his Times interviewer that he believes Ford is a better actor in certain ways.
Hamill quipped, “Harrison is a wonderful actor. When I tested with him and we didn’t have the whole [Star Wars] script, I just figured he was the leading man and I was the annoying sidekick. People would say, ‘Oh, you know Harrison got nominated for an Oscar for …’ whatever it was. I told them, ‘He deserves it.’ In other words, I can’t do what he does and nor would I try.”
Having a peer of that caliber reassure him likely gave Hamill the space to explore a more complex, morally gray Luke—someone struggling with failure, exile, and the weight of the Jedi legacy—without feeling the need to replicate the purely heroic figure from the original films.
Hamill explained that revisiting Luke wasn’t about recreating the hero of the past but exploring who he had become, “I just tried to keep it in the back of my mind that I was essentially playing him 30 years later. It’s not the same person.”
For the Life of Chuck actor, that meant embracing the evolution of Luke’s personality, experiences, and failures. He described the character in the sequels as someone fundamentally changed from the bright-eyed hero of 1983, “He’s not the same guy he was in the original trilogy, and I thought that was interesting. I wasn’t trying to recreate 1983 Luke.”
Hamill also reflected on the fine line between the nostalgia that permeates the Star Wars galaxy and moving the franchise forward, saying, “I wasn’t trying to overdo it or be nostalgic for nostalgia’s sake. I just wanted to serve the character honestly.”
Hamill’s willingness to let Luke evolve, while trusting his instincts and leaning on co-star support, demonstrates an actor deeply committed to character integrity – something his The Long Walk co-stars recently got firsthand experience with during filming. Ford’s encouragement may have even subtly influenced the emotional resonance of Luke’s final trilogy arc.
The dynamic between the original trilogy actors—Hamill, Ford, and the late, great Carrie Fisher—was one of the bright spots in an otherwise controversial sequel trilogy. Hamill’s reflections remind us that legacy characters don’t just exist in isolation; they evolve in conversation with their history and the actors who originally brought them to life.
For fans revisiting Luke’s journey, Hamill’s perspective provides insight into the careful thought and collaboration behind the scenes. The actor’s humility, his admiration for Ford, and his willingness to embrace Luke’s complexities show a deep respect for both the character and the Star Wars universe.