Death of Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca Actor, at the Age of 74 | Movie

The family of Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in the original Star Wars franchise, announced his death on Twitter on Thursday. He was 74 years old.

Mayhew died on April 30 in his North Texas home surrounded by his family. the statement on Twitter said. He is survived by his wife Angie Mayhew and their three children.

After roles in the original Star Wars trilogy and in the third episode of the series, Mayhew "has pioneered from his wheelchair to stand up and once again represent Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, "writes his family. "He put his heart and soul into the role … The relationships that started then grew to become the friends and family that he would like so much in the coming decades."

The family will hold a funeral on June 29 and early December 2019, there will be a memorial for fans of Chewbacca in Los Angeles at the event organized by Empire Con LA fans. The family suggested to fans and relatives to donate to the Mayhew Foundation instead of flowers or gifts.

Mark Hamill, who played the role of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga, paid tribute to Mayhew on Twitter, claiming that he was "the sweetest of the giants," a "tall man with an even bigger heart" who Never failed to make me smile. "

"I'm a better man to have just known him," said Hamill.

Mayhew was a minor actor working as a caregiver in the hospital when he was selected as Chewbacca the Wookiee in the first 1977 Star Wars movie, A New Hope. The 7 footer 3 actor inches high was cast in part because he was taller than the 6-foot-6 actor David Prowse, who played the villain Darth Vader.

A fan favorite, he later played the character in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), as well as in two new generation movies of the Star Wars saga: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and The Force Awakens (2015).

Mayhew's role was mainly physical; the distinctive moans of the character were created instead by the sound designer Ben Burtt. Despite makeup and heavy costumes, Mayhew has managed to bring an expressive subtlety to the character who has resonated with the public.

Mayhew's family said Thursday that his dedication to the role "was reflected in every film, since his kneeling blow, shooting from the bow-shooter to the hip, his bright blue eyes, up to the end of his life." with every subtle movement of his head and his mouth ".

Mayhew's state of health had declined in recent years and had resulted in a spinal surgery last July.

Basketball player Joonas Suotamo (who is 6 feet 11 inches) took over the role of Chewbacca in more recent episodes of Star Wars, sharing the role with Mayhew in The Force Awakens, succeeding The Last Jedi in 2017 with Mayhew as a consultant. , Solo: A Story of Star Wars (2018) and Star Wars: The rise of Skywalker, currently in post-production.

Actors and public figures paid tribute to Mayhew on social media. William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in Star Trek, offered his condolences on Twitter, remember time he has seen the actor at conventions over the years.

JJ Abrams, writer and producer of a number of next generation Star Wars movies, wrote a handwritten note on Twitter, in which he said: "Peter was the most charming man … kind and patient, encouraging and encouraging. A love for which to work and which we already miss a lot.

Rian Johnson, director of The Last Jedi, also paid tribute to Mayhew saying, "Creating a character loved with warmth and humor is testament to the spirit of any actor. To do it under half a ton of yak hair, you need a true legend. "

Robert Iger, CEO of Walt Disney Company, owner of Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise since 2012, condolences in the name of the company.