His Name’s In Lights Again

He’s seen “Star Wars” about 100 times already, but one local teenager expects to view it 10 or 11 more times with friends now that it’s returned to the big screen.

“Everyone wants to see it with Luke Skywalker,” 16-year-old Luke Sky Walker said.

Walker never has had any trouble getting people to accept that as his real name - except once.

“I sent away for a Star Wars catalog and they didn’t believe me. They didn’t send me one. I even called them and asked, ‘Will you send a catalog to Luke Sky Walker?”’ he said. “I thought it would be cool to have one with my name on it.”

People usually believe him, Walker said, “because you’d have to be crazy to make up a name like Luke Sky Walker.”

What about his parents, then? “They’re not really crazy, just TV fanatics,” he said.

Actually, his name is Lucas Skyler Walker, the first name chosen because his mother liked the character Luke Spencer on “General Hospital” and his middle name because his dad had a sense of humor.

“I don’t think he thought my mom would go for it,” Walker said. His parents are Kathy and Larry Workman of Lewiston and Robert Walker of Mason City, Iowa.

“When my little brother was born, I begged and begged Mom to name him Chewie. He even looks like a Chewie,” he said, pulling out a picture of his 9-year-old sibling, Gavin, to prove his point.

Chewie, short for Chewbacca, is the big, hairy companion of Han Solo in “Star Wars” and its two sequels.

Walker’s life has not been dominated by his name, but it certainly is always with him. Don’t even ask how many times he’s heard, “May the force be with you.”

He may be grateful for the instant name recognition someday if he continues his acting and singing career. He has appeared in several high school plays and a handful of Lewiston Civic Theatre productions.