Mark Hamill says he’s done with Luke Skywalker in ‘Star Wars’: ‘They don’t need Luke’
In “Episode VIII” of the “Star Wars” franchise, there’s a scene where jaded Jedi master Luke Skywalker rejects the film’s protagonist, Rey, and her request for him to train her.
“I will never train another generation of Jedi — I came to this island to die,” Skywalker grumpily says after tossing his lightsaber down a cliff. “It’s time for the Jedi to end.”
Life is imitating art, as Mark Hamill, who has played Skywalker in multiple “Star Wars” films and shows over the span of more than 40 years, recently told CBS News that he’s done with playing his Jedi character.
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“I had my time, and that’s good,” Hamill said in the “Sunday Morning” interview. “But that’s enough.”
Hamill said, “You never say never,” in response to whether he could return as Skywalker if called upon again, but added, “I just don’t see any reason to.
“Let me put it that way: I mean, they have so many stories to tell,” he continued. “They don’t need Luke anymore.”
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Luke Skywalker debuted in the franchise’s original “Star Wars” film in 1977 and was the protagonist for the next two installments, delivering iconic pop culture moments such as his duel with his father, Darth Vader. The Tatooine native returned in the latest trilogy, including “Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” and “Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker.” He also has appeared in recent “Star Wars” TV shows, digitally de-aged in Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” and in “The Book of Boba Fett.”
Despite his success and the staying power of his intergalactic performances, Hamill — who also is known for voice acting as Joker in the ’90s animated “Batman” series and Firelord Ozai in “Avatar: the Last Airbender” — told CBS that he doesn’t care about being remembered largely as Luke Skywalker.
“I mean, the truth of the matter is, I never really expected to be remembered for anything,” he said. “I just wanted to make a living doing what I liked. And I thought, ‘Well, it could be worse. I could be, like, known as being the best actor who ever played Adolf Hitler,’ you know? At least Luke is an admirable fellow!”
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Aside from his “Star Wars” work, Hamill has stayed busy in recent years by voice acting as costume designer Art Rosebaum in the Prime Video animated superhero series “Invincible.” He stars in the upcoming comedy “The Machine,” playing the father of real-life comedian Bert Kreischer, who is in trouble with the Russian mob.
“I was drawn to the project because of the relationship between the son and the father,” Hamill said. “I mean, they’re at odds and trying to understand one another.”
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