Star Wars Icon Mark Hamill Reflects on Loss of Carrie Fisher: "The Heart Was Gone"

Mark Hamill, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, became emotional while discussing his late co-star, Carrie Fisher, at Fan Expo Chicago last Friday. The 72-year-old actor, speaking at a "Mark Hamill Live" panel, reflected on the impact of Fisher's passing on his experience with the beloved sci-fi series.

Hamill revealed that Fisher's death in December 2016 at the age of 60 from a sudden cardiac arrest had deeply affected him, leaving a void in his connection to the franchise. He shared with the crowd how he learned of Fisher's death, saying, "My wife came into the bedroom – she gets up earlier than I do – I was still asleep. She had tears rolling down her face saying that Carrie had..."

He continued, "It forever altered how I reacted to Star Wars in general. The heart was gone. I don't talk about it because I don't like reliving it."

Hamill paid tribute to Fisher's portrayal of Princess Leia in the original 1977 film, highlighting her "effortless feminism" and her strength in confronting the formidable Darth Vader.

"I thought that it was effortless feminism to have the Princess be far from a shrinking violet," Hamill said. "She was tough, she was telling Darth Vader off to his face – she was not intimidated by Darth Vader in the slightest."

He quoted a memorable line from the film, "I thought I recognised your foul stench," delivered by Leia to Darth Vader, adding, "I mean, wow! Pretty mouthy, huh?"

Hamill recalled a scene where Leia takes charge, saying, "When we rescued her, she made chumps out of Luke and Han: 'You call this a rescue? Gimme that gun!' And she made us look like two stooges."

He concluded his reflections on Fisher's portrayal by saying, "I thought, 'That's effortless feminism,' because it's not apologetic, it's just showing a woman is as [capable] as any man."

Hamill has previously spoken about the complex dynamic he shared with Fisher, describing their relationship as both turbulent and deeply special. In a 2023 interview with Esquire magazine, he said, "We could be as loving and supportive as possible, then we could have big arguments and say, 'Well, I never want to speak to you again,' and not speak for six months. But every time you came back, you picked up right where you left off. We had a connection that is special."

Fisher's passing in 2016 was a significant loss to the entertainment industry. Her death came just days after her mother, Debbie Reynolds, best known for her role in "Singin' in the Rain," passed away at the age of 84 following a stroke. Reynolds was reportedly planning Fisher's memorial at the time of her death.