Mark Hamill has revealed how he kept the secret behind his surprsing cameo in the Season 2 finale of “The Mandalorian.”
During an appearance on “The Tonight Show” Thursday, Jimmy Fallon excitedly told Hamill — who appeared as Luke Skywalker in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, as well as the Disney sequels — that he was among the many fans who were thrilled and shocked to see Hamill play Luke once again in the Disney+ spinoff series.
The show, created by Jon Favreau and starring Pedro Pascal, tells the story of a lone bounty hunter who goes on the run after being hired to retrieve “The Child,” a k a Grogu or “Baby Yoda.” It is the first live-action series in the “Star Wars” franchise.
In one finale scene, Hamill, 69, becomes younger using CGI technology, making him appear as he would have around the time of 1983’s “Return of the Jedi.”
Fallon described his appearance as “one of the coolest TV moments of the year” and shared his admiration for Hamill, saying, “I just love you as an actor. I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten the chance to tell you that, but I just love you.”
The decision to bring Hamill back once again as the legendary Jedi was just as bewildering for Hamill, who was shocked to have gotten a phone call to appear in the series.
“Talk about unexpected,” said Hamill. “I had finished playing that part, and I never expected to do it again. I figured if they ever tell stories of Luke in that period, post the originals and pre-sequels, they would get an age-appropriate actor. So when Jon Favreau and [producer] Dave Filoni told me about what they wanted to do, I was just stunned.
“One of the main things with ‘Mandalorian’ is you are sworn to secrecy. I can’t even talk about it with my family, even now,” he joked.
Hamill also mentioned that a “Mandalorian” special on Disney+ will feature the making of his episode, which will answer a lot of questions viewers have about his mysterious appearance. The special premieres on Aug. 25.
Fallon also discussed Hamill’s upcoming role on “Masters of the Universe: Revelation,” a superhero fantasy series expected to debut on Netflix on July 23. Hamill will play the role of Skeletor — the archenemy of Chris Wood’s He-Man — with a face “only a mother could love,” according to Hamill.
“[Kevin Smith] doesn’t take it lightly, he knows what a huge responsibility it is because it is so meaningful to a whole generation of what were once children who are now adults with their own kids,” said Hamill.
Hamill hinted that the episodes came out “beautifully,” with “lush” and “opulent” scenes. The show is a “continuation acknowledging what came before, but if you’ve never seen it before, you can jump right in and feel like you haven’t missed anything.”
Fallon also showed fans a clip of the animated Skeletor, who wears a purple hood over his bare skull.
Hamill’s appearance on “The Mandalorian” was not the first time that he freaked out fans for recent cameos. In May 2020, Hamill brought a new dark side to an episode of the FX series “What We Do in the Shadows.” Hamill journeyed into Staten Island for a guest role as pale, cape-wearing Jim the Vampire.