Mark Hamill, widely recognized for playing Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” franchise, is facing criticism after posting an AI-generated image of U.S. President Donald Trump depicted in a shallow grave. The image, which Hamill shared on Bluesky in early May, showed a gravestone marked with the dates 1946–2024. His caption said Trump should live long enough to face defeat in the midterms, be held accountable for corruption, and be impeached, convicted, and humiliated for crimes he described as unprecedented. Hamill added that Trump should live long enough to be disgraced in history books. The post quickly drew backlash, including a sharp response from White House spokesman Davis Ingle, who called the actor a “deranged lunatic.”
After the controversy grew, Hamill deleted the post and later attempted to clarify his remarks. In a follow-up message, he said the edit was meant for clarity and added that he was “wishing him the opposite of dead,” while apologizing if the image was inappropriate. However, the apology did little to calm the reaction online, with many social media users continuing to criticize the actor’s choice to share the image.
Jamie Kennedy was among the most vocal critics. Speaking on his podcast “Hate To Break It To Ya,” Kennedy condemned Hamill’s post as extreme, calling it “brain rot gone beyond.” He said the actor’s behavior was shocking and argued that someone with such a public platform should not be promoting that kind of content. Kennedy described the post as irresponsible and said he believed it crossed a line, even while acknowledging Trump as the elected leader.
The backlash comes as Hamill’s connection to “Star Wars” continues to be a topic of discussion. Luke Skywalker’s story effectively ended in 2017’s “The Last Jedi,” and Hamill has said he believes the franchise should move forward with new characters rather than focus on the past. In interviews, he has expressed gratitude for being part of the original saga, but said his time in the role was complete. He also noted that Luke’s death in the sequel trilogy gave his character a sense of closure.
Hamill previously said the end of Luke Skywalker’s story felt like a conclusion and that the Skywalker-era narrative had reached its natural end. While the “Star Wars” universe continues to expand, including with upcoming films such as “Starfighter,” Hamill has indicated that he sees the franchise’s future lying with new faces and new storylines rather than a return to his character.
