Peter Mayhew (actor)
| Peter Mayhew | |
|---|---|
Mayhew at the Florida SuperCon, June 2015
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| Born |
19 May 1944 Barnes, England, UK |
| Residence | Boyd, Texas, U.S. |
| Nationality | British, American |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Known for | Playing Chewbacca in the Star Wars franchise |
| Height | 7 ft 3 in (221 cm) |
| Spouse(s) | Angie Luker (1999–present) |
Peter Mayhew (born 19 May 1944) is an English/American actor who holds American citizenship and is best known for playing Chewbacca in the Star Wars film series.
Mayhew was born on 19 May 1944 in Barnes, South West London, where he was also raised. His height is not a product of gigantism — "I don't have the big head" — but of a connective tissue disorder called Marfan syndrome. His peak height was 7 feet 3 inches (221 cm).
Mayhew got his first acting job in 1976 when the producers of Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger discovered him from a photograph in a newspaper article about men with large feet, and cast him in the role of the minotaur.
When casting his first Star Wars film, producer George Lucas needed a tall actor who could fit the role of the hairy alien Chewbacca. He originally had in mind 6-foot-6-inch (1.98 m) bodybuilder David Prowse, but instead Prowse chose to play Darth Vader. This led Lucas on a search which turned up Mayhew, who was working as an orderly and says that all he had to do to be cast in the role of Chewbacca was stand up.
Mayhew has played Chewbacca in five Star Wars films: the original trilogy (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi), Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He played the role in the 1978 television film Star Wars Holiday Special and in an appearance on The Muppet Show. He also recorded dialogue for the Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 3 finale episode "Wookiee Hunt".
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