Mark Hamill, the iconic actor behind Luke Skywalker, has credited the late Carrie Fisher with encouraging him to embrace his Star Wars legacy.

In a recent interview on NPR's Fresh Air, Hamill, 73, shared that he initially tried to distance himself from his Star Wars fame after the release of "Return of the Jedi" in 1983. However, Fisher, who played his on-screen sister Princess Leia, helped him see the value in embracing his role in the beloved franchise.

Hamill recalled that Fisher confronted him when he was starring on Broadway in the 1980s, pointing out that he didn't mention his Star Wars credits in his bio in the Playbill. Fisher told him, "Hey, get over yourself. You're Luke Skywalker. I'm Princess Leia. Embrace it."

Hamill credits Fisher with putting things into perspective for him, saying, "She made me realize that I occupy a territory that no one else does."

The actor also shared that he sometimes feels a "disconnect" with fans because the franchise is still ongoing, whereas he feels like he's moved on from his time as Luke Skywalker.

Hamill and Fisher starred in the original Star Wars trilogy together, starting with 1977's "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope". They both returned for the sequel trilogy, which began with 2015's "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens").

Hamill's career has also involved a wide range of voiceover work, including voicing in various Batman projects. He recently appeared in Mike Flanagan's Netflix series "The Fall of the House of Usher" and will star in the director's "The Life of Chuck", an adaptation of a novella by Stephen King.

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Hamill told NPR that his initial reaction was not to do the sequel trilogy, but when he read that Harrison Ford had signed on, he felt like he had no choice but to join as well.

Ford only appeared in the first of the three, while Hamill had a cameo in the first and third films and appeared widely in the second. Fisher appeared in the first two and died shortly after completing filming. Archival footage of her was used in the third film.

Hamill's story is a testament to the lasting impact of the Star Wars franchise and the strong bonds formed between its cast members.