Mark Hamill 'in shock' over Star Wars return

Star Wars actors Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill. Photo / Getty Images

Luke Skywalker not only influenced legions of Star Wars fans over the decades, it changed the life of the man who played him.

Mark Hamill recently gave an emotional interview with Entertainment Weekly where he revealed he is still in shock over the experience of returning to the Star Wars universe.

The 63-year-old 's return as the Jedi not only revisits the events that made him an international superstar back in the 70s but also reflects how time has changed both him and his iconic character.

Speaking with EW, Hamill admitted: "I don't know that I'm even completely recovered from my state of shock.

A scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

"Part of the experience of [Star Wars] in my life was coming down from that, putting it behind me. We had a beginning, middle, and an end. And I certainly, in a million years, never expected to return. I thought, even if they do more trilogies, my story is over."

He added that George Lucas had made it clear to him, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher that he would not be scripting plots beyond the events of 1982's Return Of The Jedi.

All of that changed, of course, when Walt Disney bought the Lucasfilm empire in 2012 (for a reported sum exceeding $4 billion).

Mark Hamill in Star Wars.

This time around, however, has more significance personally for Hamill: "It's kind of like Scrooge on Christmas morning. 'Oh my God, this time I'm going to appreciate it in a way I wasn't able to as a young man.'"

But there is one thing about his return that makes him a bit uncomfortable: "I'm not really a beard person."

Hamill previously revealed he was contractually obligated to grow the facial scruff to portray a wiser, aging, Jedi master.

"Every time you take a sip of coffee," he went on to complain, "Ugh, you're always getting food and drink in it."

The actor also recently admitted to Yahoo! News that he wasn't sure he should be a part of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

"I'm one of those people where I just think, 'Keep me out of it. I'll ruin it, I'm sure!' I'll show up and just ruin the whole thing.'"

Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill in Star Wars.

He starred in the Star Wars prequel trilogy that included Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return Of The Jedi (1983).

This new film, which is being directed by JJ Abrams, picks up 30 years after the events that took place in Return Of The Jedi.

Also reprising their roles are Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia.

- Daily Mail