The universe just got a little sadder today. Peter Mayhew, the taller than life actor who brought Star Wars’ Chewbacca to life, has passed away at the age of 74.
The actor died April 30 in his North Texas home with family by his side. His official Twitter account shared the news Thursday. He underwent spinal surgery in July in an effort to improve his mobility. It has been reported in recent years that the actor has suffered various health issues, although that didn’t stop him from appearing in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
While Mayhew did not provide the voice of the 200-year old Wookie (that was created by sound designer Ben Burtt), many credit the body language and the expressiveness of the eyes that actor brought to the role in making Chewbacca a fan favorite. The actor played Chewbacca in Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), Revenge of the Sith (2005) and The Force Awakens (2015).
It’s crazy, even though I know he didn’t provide the signature sound of the character, I have always fully associated him with the role & it’s cool he got to be a part of this iconic time in filmmaking. He’s easily a major part of pop culture & will be missed. R.I.P.
