There is arguably no film franchise quite as beloved as Star Wars. George Lucas' colorful world has enthralled moviegoers for decades, resulting in entire generations of diehard fans. And while the sequel trilogy helped expand the galaxy far, far away, the original movies will always be regarded as the favorites. As such, any information about those magical days working on Episodes IV-VI is coveted by the fandom.
Mark Hamill played Luke Skywalker in both the original movies and sequel trilogy, and is one of the franchise's biggest fans. He had a special bond with co-star Carrie Fisher, who passed away in 2016. Hamill often uses social media to directly communicate with the fans, and recently shared the information behind one hilarious photo of he and Fisher back in the day:
Carrie Fisher was known for her biting sense of humor, and it looks like this throwback image of Mark Hamill from the set of Return of the Jedi was all her doing. And that shouldn't come as a surprise to her many fans.
The photo in question features Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in the desert, while filming the Tatooine scenes in Return of the Jedi. Fisher is wearing Leia's iconic gold bikini, but it's actually Hamill that steals the focus. Because the Luke Skywalker actor is shown wearing his co-star's colorful robe, in an image that really breaks the illusion of the franchise, and shows what life was like on set.
It turns out that not only was Mark Hamill wearing Carrie Fisher's robe on the set of Episode VI, but underneath he was also sporting one of Leia Organa's costumes from the previous film, The Empire Strikes Back. Specifically, her jumpsuit from the character's time on the ice planet Hoth. That's the white garment you can see underneath the robe--- one that Hamill seemingly didn't want to wear in public.
This funny moment from the set of Return of the Jedi is largely due to Carrie Fisher herself, and her wicked sense of humor. Because while ensuring a young Hamill that no one would ever see them on the film's remote set, she promptly spotted a photographer in the distance. And just like that, this iconic photo of the two young actors was born. Luckily, this wasn't the last time they'd be on a Star Wars set together.
The loss of Carrie Fisher is still being felt years after her death, as the late actress has a special place in many moviegoers' hearts. Aside from her acting roles and tenure as General Leia, Fisher was known for her career as a writer, as well as her signature quick wit and sense of humor.
These feelings of mourning will likely only resurface with the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. J.J. Abrams' upcoming blockbuster will be Leia's final bow, with Carrie Fisher being brought to life through unused footage from the previous two movies. The character was reportedly going to have a major role in the movie before Fisher's death, only making the legendary actress' sudden death all the more tragic.
Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher can be seen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
