The actor who played Chewbacca, Peter Mayhew, has passed away at the age of 74.
According to The Daily Wire:
Tremendous loss has hit Tinseltown this week with the deaths of director John Singleton and now actor Peter Mayhew, the man behind the crossbow-toting Han Solo sidekick, Chewbacca.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 74-year-old Mayhew died on Tuesday in his North Texas home. No cause of death has been mentioned. His family, who remained by his side up until his final moments, officially announced his passing via his official Twitter account on Thursday.
“He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films,” reads the statement. “But, to him, the ‘Star Wars’ family meant so much more to him than a role in a film.”
A private memorial for Mayhew has been scheduled for June 29, with another gathering for fans scheduled in December at EmpireConLA. He is survived by his wife, Angie, and three children.
Many from the Star Wars family have paid tribute including the famed Harrison Ford and George Lucas.
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