Chewbacca Star Peter Mayhew Has Passed at Age 74

Peter Mayhew, known primarily for his role as the lovable Wookie, Chewbacca in the Star Wars saga has passed away at the age of 74.

Peter Mayhew has passed away at his north Texas home with his family by his side. He was 74 years old. Recently, Mayhew had undergone spinal surgery in hopes of improving his mobility. His family share the tragic news on his twitter account.

The family of Peter Mayhew, with deep love and sadness, regrets to share the news that Peter has passed away. He left us the evening of April 30, 2019 with his family by his side in his North Texas home. pic.twitter.com/YZ5VLyuK0u

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) May 2, 2019

Mayhew had small acting roles before being cast in the Star Wars saga. At the time (1977), George Lucas needed someone taller than Darth Vader. Towering at 7 foot 3 inches, Peter Mayhew fit the bill nicely. He would go on to act as the lovable yet formidable 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).

Naturally, the show of love and reverence is coming from those you would expect it to come from…

“We were partners in film and friends in life for over 30 years and I loved him.”

Harrison Ford pays tribute to Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew who has died at age 74. https://t.co/kMmNz0yeSE pic.twitter.com/fZwQ7qFzvv

— ABC News (@ABC) May 3, 2019

“We are deeply saddened today by the news of Peter Mayhew’s passing. Since 1976, Peter’s iconic portrayal of the loyal, lovable Chewbacca has been absolutely integral to the character’s success, and to the Star Wars saga itself.”-Kathleen Kennedy. pic.twitter.com/XO2Nypug1d

— Star Wars UK (@StarWarsUK) May 3, 2019

Actor Peter Mayhew, who played #StarWars character #Chewbacca, has died at the age of 74.

Watch him in 2015 talking about reuniting with his old cast mate Harrison Ford.

Get the more on this story here: https://t.co/sgqhtg63kY pic.twitter.com/TZ2kh7nOT1

— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 3, 2019