Mark Hamill Explains Luke Skywalker’s New Look
So, when Star Wars: The Force Awakens came to be, and it was revealed the original trio of actors from the first films would be back in the forms of Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker, we all knew they would have to be older versions of themselves, as 30 years had passed since Return of the Jedi. Sure enough, that was true. But what you might not know, is that for Luke Skywalker, he was originally going to look MUCH older.
Mark Hamill was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the other night and let loose the details on what happened.
“Well, in the script it says, ‘He turns, removes his hood; with white, flowing hair and a white beard, it is Luke Skywalker,'” Hamill said. “I said, ‘Wait a minute. Chronologically, if this follows Return of the Jedi, I’m only in my early fifties. What’s this Methuselah look you have planned for me?'”
So, what was he to do? Go natural of course.
“I don’t color my hair, but when I grow my beard, white comes out,” Hamill said. “I didn’t want to wear a wig because those always look dodgy. I said let me grow the beard, and if you’re happy with the gray that I have, we’ll go with that. And that’s what happened.”
Sure enough, it worked, and that’s the look we see in Force Awakens and the upcoming The Last Jedi, which will arrive in theaters December 15th.