Peter Mayhew

Peter Mayhew was born into this world on 19 of May 1944, in Barnes, London, England. Apart from his acting skills, he is known for his height and the reason behind his peculiar height Marfan syndrome (a connectivity tissue disorder).He is very well known for playing Chewbacca(a character in the Star Wars Star Wars is a show of Mastiii, India’s most popul >> Read More... film franchise which looks like a big hairy beast.) in the Star Wars film series.

Peter Mayhew has played the character Chewbacca in five major Star Wars movies, the recent being Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. He also made special appearances on The Muppet Show. He also dubbed for the movie Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 3rd episode "Wookiee Hunt.” Interestingly, the man who George Lucas wanted to play Chewbacca played Darth Vader instead, and hence Mayhew was the cast for the role of Chewbacca.

His audition consisted of him only standing up. He was casted as Chewbacca because of his abnormal height. According to various reports, once he landed the Chewbacca role, Mayhew went to a nearby zoo and began moving and understanding the manners of various animals to incorporate into the character of Chew-bacca. At his office, a huge Chewbacca poster hangs behind him. He became a naturalized U.S citizen along with 400 other people.

He is currently residing in Texas with his wife Angie Luker and is a business owner.He got his first acting gig in “Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger” as the character “Minotaur” and nearly a year later he landed the Chewbacca gig and then his life took a turn for his own better. Before that, he was working as an orderly at London's King's College Hospital. He then went on to do many commercials dressed up in his Wookiee costume. Currently, he is a part of the Star Wars convention circuit where he signs autographs.

He was honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at the MTV Film Awards 1997. He has also written two books; one is “Growing up Giant” which tackles the issue of being different and how it is a strength and not a weakness. His second book was also for children and dealt with Anti-Bullying. In 2013, The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus crowned him "Emperor for Life". Mayhew is expected to portray Chewbacca in up-coming Star Wars Films such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi, etc.