A new Luke Skywalker has been cast, and Mark Hamill approves

Virgin Radio

17 Mar 2022, 13:34

They are some seriously big shoes to fill, but the young actor who is set to play Luke Skywalker in a new Star Wars spin-off series has been given the seal of approval by the original Luke, Mark Hamill.

Obi-Wan Kenobi lands on Disney+ in May, and will see Ewan McGregor reprise his titular role from the Star Wars prequels. Hayden Christensen will also be back as Darth Vader.

Luke Skywalker was only born at the very end of the final prequel, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, and therefore, given that the action in Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place a decade after the events of that film, the role of Luke will be filled by a child actor.

Step forward, Grant Feely.

The young actor only has one other credit to his name, a 2019 episode of Creepshow, but the OG Skywalker took to Twitter to give his blessings, saying: “Grant Feely looks like a perfect Luke Skywalker and I am wishing him all the very best! #TheForceIsWithFeely.”

Mark Hamill famously played Luke in the 1977 original, Star Wars: A New Hope, where, with a mop of blonde hair, he first met Obi-Wan and took on the Empire over three films, losing a hand and gaining a father along the way.

He also played an older Luke alongside Daisy Ridley’s Rey in episodes VII, VIII and IX, as well as appearing in season two of another Disney spin-off The Mandalorian (with the use of de-ageing visual effects and a body double). He turned up Disney’s in The Book of Boba Fett as well.

The trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi, which will see Grant Feely step into Mark Hamill’s shoes, recently landed. You can watch it here:

The show will feature Joel Edgerton as Uncle Owen and Bonnie Piesse as Aunt Beru. Also in the cast are Moses Ingram, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie.

Obi-Wan Kenobi will be released on May 25, 2022 exclusively on Disney+.