On April 30th, 2019 Peter Mayhew — best known for his role as Chewbacca in the Star Wars film series — passed away at the age of 74. Mayhew had been a part of the Star Wars series since the beginning, playing Chewbacca from 1977 until 2015. He was perfect for the role, with a height of 7 feet 3 inches.
Mayhew was described as a “kind and gentle man” with “great dignity and noble character” by his costar Harrison Ford who played Han Solo. Besides Star Wars, Mayhew also wrote two children’s books and was cast in a few other films.
Saying Goodbye to a Pop Culture Icon
Peter Mayhew passed away at his home in Boyd, Texas with his family by his side. He will always be remembered for his iconic role as Chewbacca and for the kind man he was. Below are a few tributes shared over Twitter.
He was the gentlest of giants-A big man with an even bigger heart who never failed to make me smile & a loyal friend who I loved dearly-I’m grateful for the memories we shared & I’m a better man for just having known him. Thanks Pete #RIPPeterMayhew #Heartbroken @TheWookieeRoars pic.twitter.com/8xbq9HEWF2
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) May 2, 2019
Right at the start of this chapter of my life , before the show had even aired , I had the pleasure to meet @TheWookieeRoars for the first time at wondercon. I remember seeing how kind he was , and taking time with everyone he could. Just a lovely man. RIP Peter x https://t.co/jSxRvtEIPQ
— Kristian Nairn (@KristianNairn) May 3, 2019
RIP Peter Mayhew. To create a beloved character with warmth and humor is a testament to any actor’s spirit. To do it under a half ton of yak hair takes a true legend. ❤️❤️
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) May 3, 2019
May the Force Be with You, #PeterMayhew! As the King of the Cinematic Sidekicks, your performance helped make my childhood fun! Thank you for bringing Chewbacca to life and for always waving the flag for fandom! We may have let the Wookie win, but YOU won our hearts, sir! pic.twitter.com/B6cpKTKyv2
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) May 3, 2019
R.I.P ???? pic.twitter.com/FWRgaOS0Tf
— Joonas Suotamo (@JoonasSuotamo) May 2, 2019
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