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Peter Mayhew, the Actor Behind Chewbacca’s Mask in ‘Star Wars,’ Dies at 74 Peter Mayhew, the Actor Behind Chewbacca’s Mask in ‘Star Wars,’ Dies at 74
(about 7 hours later)
Peter Mayhew, the actor best known for portraying Chewbacca in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, died at his home in Texas on Tuesday. He was 74. Peter Mayhew, the British-born actor best known for portraying the gentle giant Chewbacca in the “Star Wars” movie franchise, died on Tuesday at his home in North Texas. He was 74.
His family confirmed the death in a statement on Thursday. A representative for Mr. Mayhew said he died after having a heart attack. His family confirmed the death in a statement on Thursday but did not specify where he died. In recent years he had lived in Boyd, in Wise County. A representative for Mr. Mayhew said he died after having a heart attack.
Mr. Mayhew — who was 7-foot-3 — donned a shaggy costume to play Chewbacca, the menacing yet cuddly Wookiee who was a sidekick to Han Solo and the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon. He appeared in all three films of the original trilogy, as well as in “Revenge of the Sith” in 2005 and “The Force Awakens” in 2015. Mr. Mayhew, who was 7-foot-3, climbed into a shaggy costume to play Chewbacca, the menacing-seeming yet cuddly Wookiee who is Han Solo’s sidekick and co-pilot aboard the spaceship Millennium Falcon.
“He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films, from his knock-kneed running, firing his bowcaster from the hip, his bright blue eyes, down to each subtle movement of his head and mouth,” Mr. Mayhew’s family said in its statement. He appeared in all three films of the original “Star Wars” trilogy, as well as in the prequel “Revenge of the Sith” in 2005 and the sequel “The Force Awakens” in 2015.
The actor Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo, said in a statement on Thursday that Mr. Mayhew “was a kind and gentle man, possessed of great dignity and noble character.” “He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca,” the family statement said, “and it showed in every frame of the films, from his knock-kneed running, firing his bowcaster from the hip, his bright blue eyes, down-to-each subtle movement of his head and mouth.”
“These aspects of his own personality, plus his wit and grace, he brought to Chewbacca,” Mr. Ford said. Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo, said in a statement on Thursday that Mr. Mayhew was “a kind and gentle man, possessed of great dignity and noble character.”
Mr. Mayhew was born in London on May 19, 1944. He had a form of gigantism and had grown extraordinarily tall by the time he was a teenager. Peter William Mayhew was born in London on May 19, 1944. He had a form of gigantism and had grown extraordinarily tall by his teens.
He was in his 30s and working as an orderly in a London hospital when a film producer spotted him in a photograph. He was ultimately cast to play the Minoton — a towering bronze figure — in the 1977 movie “Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.” He was in his 30s and working as an orderly in a London hospital when a film producer spotted him in a photograph. He was cast as Minoton, a towering bronze figure, in the 1977 movie “Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.”
Shortly thereafter, he was recommended to George Lucas, who decided that Mr. Mayhew would be a good candidate to play Chewbacca in “Star Wars.” He would wear a Wookiee costume, with the creature’s voice provided by a sound engineer using recorded animal sounds. Recommended to the director George Lucas, who was casting about at the time for someone to play Chewbacca in the original “Star Wars,” Mr. Mayhew got the job. That movie was also released in 1977.
The role altered the course of Mr. Mayhew’s life. In addition to appearing in “Star Wars” films, he did work in consulting and in commercials involving Chewbacca. Wearing the Wookiee costume, Mr. Mayhew had no lines, per se: The creature’s voice was provided by a sound engineer using recorded animal sounds.
Mr. Lucas called Mr. Mayhew “a good friend” in a statement on Thursday and said he was saddened by his passing. But the role altered the course of Mr. Mayhew’s life. In addition to appearing in the “Star Wars” films, he appeared in commercials involving the character and took on consulting roles.
“Peter was a wonderful man,” he added. “He was the closest any human being could be to a Wookiee: big heart, gentle nature.” In a statement, Mr. Lucas said of him, “He was the closest any human being could be to a Wookiee: big heart, gentle nature.”
After knee surgery in 2013 made it necessary for Mr. Mayhew to use a wheelchair, it was unclear whether he would be able to portray Chewbacca again. But after a period of intense rehabilitation, he was able to reprise his role one more time in “The Force Awakens.” After knee surgery in 2013 made it necessary for Mr. Mayhew to use a wheelchair, it was unclear whether he would be able to portray Chewbacca again. But after a period of rehabilitation he was able to reprise his role one more time in “The Force Awakens.”
That was when he met Kathleen Kennedy, who had succeeded Mr. Lucas as the president of Lucasfilm. “I was immediately impressed by his kind and gentle nature,” she said in a statement Thursday. “Peter was brilliantly able to express his personality through his skillful use of gesture, posture and eyes.” In 2011, Mr. Mayhew and his wife, Angie Mayhew, started the Peter Mayhew Foundation, whose website states that it is “devoted to the alleviation of disease, pain, suffering and the financial toll brought on by life’s traumatic events” by providing financial and other resources to help those in need. In one instance, in 2016, it helped a young woman get approved for a lifesaving lung transplant.
Mr. Mayhew regularly interacted with fans at conventions and on social media. He once tweeted a personal response to the woman whose infectious laughter about a Chewbacca mask charmed thousands of people in 2016. Ms. Mayhew will continue to run the foundation, the family said. In addition to her, Mr. Mayhew is survived by three daughters and one grandchild.
Mr. Mayhew was also known to carry a cane that resembled a lightsaber. The tool was investigated once, briefly, by Transportation Security Administration workers at an airport; he tweeted about that, too. Mr. Mayhew was popular with fans at conventions and on social media. He was known to carry a cane that resembled a lightsaber, a favorite weapon in the “Star Wars” films.
In 2011, Mr. Mayhew and his wife started the Peter Mayhew Foundation, which has supported various causes including helping a young woman get approved for a lifesaving lung transplant in 2016. Once, at an airport, his lightsaber drew the attention of Transportation Security Administration workers, who investigated it briefly before waving him on. Mr. Mayhew enjoyed the moment and tweeted about it.
Mr. Mayhew is survived by his wife, Angie, who will continue running the foundation, as well as three daughters and one grandchild.