Star Wars' original Luke Skywalker actor, Mark Hamill, has taken the time to voice his support for Grant Feely, who will play a younger version of the character in the upcoming Disney+ original series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"Grant Feely looks like a perfect Luke Skywalker and I am wishing him all the very best!" Hamill wrote on Twitter, using the hashtag, "#TheForceIsWithFeely." The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that Feely had been cast as Luke in Obi-Wan Kenobi mid-production, replacing the previous actor who was tapped for the role. Apparently, no scenes were shot with the original actor before Feely joined the fray.
Feely's Luke briefly appears in the first teaser trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi, in which he can be seen pretending to pilot a ship while Uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton) and Aunt Beru (Bonnie Piesse) tend to the moisture farm and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) watches from afar. Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place roughly 10 years after the events of 2005's Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (and nine years before the events of 1977's Star Wars), meaning Luke is about 10 years old at this point in the timeline.
Hamill endorsing Feely as Luke means more than some may initially realize. After all, when it first came to light that Obi-Wan Kenobi was looking to cast a young Luke Skywalker, fans couldn't help but be reminded of Jake Lloyd, who was around the same age as Feely when he was notoriously lambasted by certain Star Wars fans and critics for his portrayal of a young Anakin Skywalker in 1999's Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which contributed to his decision to retire from acting entirely in 2001. Fortunately for Obi-Wan Kenobi's new Luke, however, he has the original in his corner.
Hamill famously portrayed Luke in 1977's Star Wars, 1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return of the Jedi. Years later, he reprised the role in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 2017's Star Wars: The Last Jedi and 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. However, he and Feely technically aren't the only actors to step into the role.
In Revenge of the Sith, Luke appeared as an infant, being portrayed by Aidan Barton, son of the film's editor, Roger Barton. More recently, the Star Wars franchise has brought back Hamill's young-adult version of Luke by digitally placing the actor's face onto a body double. Thus far, three young Luke body doubles have appeared in Star Wars projects: Lukaz Leong in The Rise of Skywalker, Max Lloyd-Jones in Disney+'s The Mandalorian Season 2 and Graham Hamilton in Disney+'s The Book of Boba Fett.
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on Disney+ on May 25.
Source: Twitter