Star Wars Day is a special day for fans of the franchise, and it's particularly special whenever the actual stars of the series come out of hyperspace for a little nostalgia. This year, Samuel L. Jackson and Daisy Ridley both took time off their busy 2026 movie calendars, marking May the 4th with social media posts that gave fans a nice mix of behind-the-scenes memories and great pictures with the creator himself, George Lucas and more.
Jackson, who played Jedi Master Mace Windu in the prequel trilogy, shared a carousel on Instagram, which you can see below, with the message, “MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU,” followed by a fist emoji, several exclamation points and a purple heart. Naturally, that purple heart feels on brand for the actor who famously wielded one of the most recognizable lightsabers in the entire franchise.
The post included several images tied to Jackson’s time in the Star Wars universe, including behind-the-scenes shots with George Lucas, a Star Wars Insider cover featuring Mace Windu, and a great image of Jackson in costume alongside Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker. There was also a shot of Jackson holding Mace’s purple lightsaber, which is basically red meat for anyone still hoping the Jedi somehow survived his fall in Revenge of the Sith.
Article continues belowOne commenter wrote that Mace Windu was “the only Jedi to beat Sidious in a duel,” while another argued that because fans “never saw a body,” Mace could still show back up someday. Walton Goggins also popped into the comments with a simple, “always YOU,” which somehow feels correct for a post celebrating one of the coolest Jedi to ever glare across the council chamber.
Jackson has long been open about wanting Mace Windu back in Star Wars, and the fandom has never fully let go of the idea. That is partly because Star Wars has made an entire art form out of unlikely returns, but also because Mace’s exit left just enough smoke in the air for fans to keep squinting into it. The man took Force lightning, lost a hand and went flying out a window, yes. But this is also a franchise where Darth Maul got cut in half and still found time to become a crime lord and is starring in his very own new Star Wars animated series, Star Wars: Maul–Shadow Lord, which fans and critics have been loving.
Ridley, meanwhile, used her Instagram Story to share a string of Star Wars Day posts, including a simple “Happy Star Wars Day to all who celebrate!!!” message over a video from a recording session. She also shared what appears to be a red-carpet image from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, see below.
One of the more interesting posts from Ridley came later, when she shared an Empire Magazine graphic ranking Rey among “The Greatest Star Wars Characters of All Time.” The image included Rey’s “I am all the Jedi” line from The Rise of Skywalker, which feels like a fitting Star Wars Day nod for a character fans have debated, defended and picked apart since The Force Awakens.
My personal favorite, though, was a photo of the Last Jedi cast smiling together at a black-tie event. It’s a small thing, but it’s a great behind-the-scenes snapshot and exactly the kind of warm franchise memory that works so well on May the Fourth.
The timing is hard to miss, too. Ridley’s Rey is expected to return in a future Star Wars film, while Jackson’s Mace Windu remains one of those characters fans keep trying to will back into canon through sheer collective stubbornness.
For now, though, their May the Fourth posts did exactly what good Star Wars Day posts should do. They opened the blast doors on a few old memories and reminded fans why these characters still matter.
Posts like Jackson’s and Ridley’s land ahead of the franchise’s next theatrical release. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22, 2026. But if you’re already itching for another trip back to that galaxy far, far away, all the Star Wars movies in order, along with the live-action shows and animated series, are streaming with a Disney+ subscription.
