Following director J.J. Abrams' recent call for the introduction of gay characters in the "Star Wars" films, franchise veteran Mark Hamill has reiterated his own assertion that Luke Skywalker's sexuality remains an open question.

"In the old days you would get fan mail," Hamill told The Sun. “But now fans are writing and ask all these questions, ‘I’m bullied in school ... I’m afraid to come out.' They say to me, ‘Could Luke be gay?’ I’d say it is meant to be interpreted by the viewer. If you think Luke is gay, of course he is. You should not be ashamed of it. Judge Luke by his character, not by who he loves.”

That echoes his response in January to a fan who asked whether Luke is bisexual. "Luke is whatever the audience wants him to be," the 64-year-old actor wrote in a direct message, "so you can decide for yourself."

Addressing the press last month at the U.S.-Ireland Alliance Oscar Wilde Awards, Abrams said, “When I talk about inclusivity, it’s not excluding gay characters, it’s about inclusivity. To me, the fun of ‘Star Wars’ is exploring the possibilities, so it seems insanely narrow-minded to say that there wouldn’t be a homosexual character in that world.”

Hamill returns as Luke Skywalker in director Rian Johnson's "Star Wars: Episode VIII," which opens Dec. 15, 2017.