Mark Hamill has admitted he regrets publicly criticizing The Last Jedi, the 2017 Star Wars sequel that reimagined his legendary character, Luke Skywalker. In a recent podcast interview, he praised director Rian Johnson and described him as “one of the most gifted directors” he has ever worked with.
During the original press tour, Hamill expressed discomfort with Luke’s storyline. He struggled to accept that the Jedi master had become a bitter recluse in self-imposed exile. “Jedis don’t give up,” he once said. “Even if he had a problem, he would take a year to regroup. If he made a mistake, he would try to right that wrong.”
Hamill believed Luke would fight harder, not retreat, after his nephew Ben Solo turned to the dark side. However, he later acknowledged the story was no longer his. “It’s somebody else’s story, and Rian needed me to be a certain way to make the ending effective,” he explained.
Now, Hamill says he wishes he had remained quiet. “Maybe I should have kept that to myself,” he told the Bullseye with Jesse Thorn podcast. Despite his past doubts, he now calls The Last Jedi “a great movie.”
He added that going public with his dissatisfaction may have unfairly influenced fans. Still, Hamill emphasized that he never disliked Johnson. “The unfortunate thing is, I’ve heard comments from fans who think I somehow dislike Rian, and nothing could be further from the truth,” he clarified.
To better understand his role, Hamill created a personal backstory for Luke. In his version, Luke falls in love and leaves the Jedi Order. The couple has a child who, as a toddler, accidentally activates a lightsaber and dies. Grief-stricken, Luke’s partner takes her own life. The tragedy drives Luke into exile. Hamill said this story resonated with him due to real-life reports of children harmed by unattended weapons.
He pitched this darker backstory to Johnson, who allowed him to interpret the character freely. However, the film did not include this explanation. Johnson opted for a brief justification that didn’t satisfy Hamill at the time. Still, the actor committed to doing the role justice.
“Despite the fact that I disagree with your choices for Luke, I’m going to do everything within my power to make your screenplay work,” Hamill recalled telling the director.
The Mark Hamill The Last Jedi conversation remains a point of debate among Star Wars fans. Many continue to reflect on whether the film honored Luke’s legacy. Hamill now hopes his latest comments will bring clarity and ease any misconceptions about his collaboration with Johnson.
