THEN AND NOW: The original 'Star Wars' cast 38 years later

The first movie installment of "Star Wars" premiered in 1977, and anticipation for each new sequel and prequel has snowballed ever since.

With "The Force Awakens" being released, many of the films' beloved original actors — including Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher — are reprising their roles. But others won't be around for Episode VII.

So what's everybody from the original three "Star Wars" movies been up to in the past 38 years? Scroll through to find out.

THEN: Harrison Ford was working as a carpenter to supplement his flailing acting career. But after "Star Wars: A New Hope" came out, he rocketed to stardom.

He knew director George Lucas because they worked together on "American Graffiti." Ford was helping stand in for screen tests while other actors auditioned. To his surprise, Lucas offered him the part without even telling him he was up for it.

Source: Business Insider

NOW: Ford is a bona-fide A-list movie star and playing Han Solo again.

The first three "Star Wars" films put Ford on the map. Since then, he starred in the "Indiana Jones" movie franchise and plenty of other films from the 1980s until today. He recently returned to the action genre in "The Expendables" and its sequel.

Most importantly, though, he's reprising his role as Han Solo in "The Force Awakens." Fans around the world lost it when he appeared at the end of an early teaser to say to his Wookiee sidekick, "Chewie, we're home."

THEN: Carrie Fisher had had some small roles, but was predominantly known as the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds until being cast in "Star Wars: A New Hope."

In her feature-film debut, she had a small but memorable role as a rambunctious teen in the Warren Beatty vehicle "Shampoo" in 1975. She landed "Star Wars" two years later.