Star Wars has stood the test of time and has stayed still manage to keep its place as one of the most popular movies of all time. Although the first movie was initially released in 1977, the franchise is still gaining more and more fans every day. However, since the movies were released so long ago, we’ve sadly had to see several of the actors involved pass away.
This year, another Star Wars alumnus has been taken away from us. Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca, has died – and actors are paying their respects.
A Heartfelt Goodbye
Many people will remember Harrison Ford for his role as Han Solo in the original Star Wars Trilogy. What many people don’t know, however, is that he and Peter Mayhew had an immensely strong friendship.
The two originally met during the filming of the first movie. They were teamed up together to journey on a wealth of adventures. Throughout the 3 movies, they even got to fly the Millennium Falcon together on screen.
Both actors grew close to one another quickly. As Ford put it “We were partners in film and friends in life for over 30 years and I loved him.“
A Kind Man
Along with Ford, many of the other actors and crew from the film decided to share their fondest memories of Mayhew after his passing.
Mark Hamil, who played Luke Skywalker, said that “What was so remarkable about him was his spirit and his kindness and his gentleness was so close to what a Wookiee is. He just radiated happiness and warmth. He was always up for a laugh and we just hit it off immediately and stayed friends for over 40 years.”
Hamil even went on to call the Chewbacca actor “the gentlest of giants” because of his kind and warm personality.
Director George Lucas also agreed on Mayhew’s kindness. Lucas went on to state that “Peter was a wonderful man. He was the closest any human being could be to a Wookiee: big heart, gentle nature – and I learned to always let him win. He was a good friend, and I’m saddened by his passing.”
A Thousand Goodbyes
As the news rapidly spread about Mayhew’s passing, many people across the world were quick to express their sadness. People such as Rian Johnson, Kevin Smith, and Elijah Wood all shared their own message to the actor on Twitter.
Even San Diego Comic-Con shared their condolences on the site with a heartfelt goodbye.
Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, was one of many who decided to say goodbye through Twitter. He shared a photograph of himself with the Star Wars actor which was captioned “Star Wars wouldn’t have been the same without Peter Mayhew as the loyal and lovable Chewbacca, and he will always be a favourite for generations of kids & kids at heart. Rest easy, Peter.”
Not many actors were as kind, loveable, dedicated, and talented as Peter Mayhew was. He won our hearts by playing the lovable Wookiee, Chewbacca in the Star Wars Trilogy. Later in his life, he showed us that his amazing personality wasn’t just an act either. He will be sorely missed by actors and fans everywhere.
If you know someone who’s a fan of Star Wars, share this news with them. Let them know about the passing of one of the greatest actors of the original trilogy.
