Mark Hamill “contractually obligated” to grow beard for Star Wars
Actor Mark Hamill was “contractually obligated” to grow facial hair for the new Star Wars movie.
The star, who played Luke Skywalker in the original sci-fi trilogy, is reprising his role in the latest installment, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, and he has swapped his usual clean-cut look for a new shaggy bearded image.
Hamill has now revealed producers behind the movie ordered him to grow it to give his character more “gravitas”.
He tells the Press Association, “That is what I call my contractually obligated beard. Listen: I think they look fine on other people. It’s just not me. I mean, I never got used to it. But face foliage is almost a part of the costume. And it does bring a gravitas, perhaps unearned, but nevertheless, it makes a statement that they wanted to make, and I’m more than happy to oblige them.”