LOS ANGELES (AP) – Actor Peter Mayhew, who played shaggy, towering Chewbacca in several of the “Star Wars” films, has died, his family said Thursday. He was 74.
Mayhew died at his home in Texas on Tuesday, according to a family statement. No cause was given.
The 7-foot-3 Mayhew played the beloved and furry Chewbacca, sidekick to Han Solo and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon, in the original “Star Wars” trilogy.
He went on to appear as the Wookiee in 2005’s “Revenge of the Sith” and shared the part in 2015’s “The Force Awakens” with actor Joonas Suotamo, who later took over the role.
“He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films,” the family statement said. “But, to him, the ‘Star Wars’ family meant so much more to him than a role in a film.”