Mark Hamill says Carrie Fisher's death 'forever altered' Star Wars for him

Star Wars was never the same for Mark Hamill after Carrie Fisher’s tragic death in 2016.

During a panel at the Fan Expo Chicago on Sunday, August 18, the 72-year-old actor opened up about the void Fisher’s death has left in the Star Wars universe.

Fisher, who portrayed Princess Leia, passed away in December 2016 at age 60 due to a sudden cardiac arrest.

Hamill revealed that the news of Fisher's death, which he learned from his wife Marilou York, profoundly impacted his view of the beloved franchise.

“It forever altered how I reacted to Star Wars in general,” he admitted. “The heart was gone. I don't talk about it because I don't like reliving it.”

Hamill, who played Leia’s long-lost brother Luke Skywalker, fondly remembered Fisher’s portrayal of Leia as a model of "effortless feminism.”

“She was tough, she was telling Darth Vader off to his face,” he reflected.

“I mean, wow! Pretty mouthy, huh?” he quipped.

Fisher passed away at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in 2016 four days after suffering a heart attack. Cocaine, ecstasy, and heroin were later found in her system.