Actor Peter Mayhew: biography, filmography, personal life and interesting facts

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Peter Mayhew is an American actor of British origin. He is best known to the general public for his role as Chewbacca in the Star Wars film series. Appeared as a character in all films of the main saga, as well as in other projects. After filming the seventh episode, he retired. In total, he took part in thirty full-length and television projects during his career.

Childhood and youth

Peter Mayhew was born on May 19, 1944 in Barnes, Surrey. The huge growth of the actor is not a consequence of gigantism, as many believe. Despite Peter Mayhew's impressive height of 2.2 m, his head is of normal size, which is a sign that the disease does not exist.

Chubbaki's performer suffers from genetic Marfan's syndrome, which is a connective tissue pathology. After completing his education, Peter worked as a paramedic at King's College Hospital in London.

Career start

In 1976, producer Charles H. Schnier accidentallyI came across in a magazine article about the tallest people in Great Britain a photograph of Peter Mayhew. The film "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger" became the first film role for the aspiring actor - he played the minotaur.

The film was eventually released a year later, by which time the producer had already found another job for Peter, a role in a fantasy film directed by young director George Lucas.

Star Wars

Lucas was looking for a tall actor to play Chewbacca and initially offered the role to bodybuilder David Proyse, but he decided to play Darth Vader. As a result, the role of Han Solo's associate was given to Mayhew, who, in his own words, in order to get the role, you just had to stand up to your full height. There is also a version that Lucas suggested that the actors themselves decide who they want to play, Vader or Chewie. Peter wanted to play the hero, but Proyse liked the role of the villain.

To prepare for the film, Mayhew visited the zoo almost daily, studying the habits of large animals. As a result, the role of Chewbacca became the main one in the filmography of Peter Mayhew, he played the character in all three films of the original trilogy, and later also appeared in the prequels. Fun Fact: When Peter got sick during the filming of episode 5, director Irving Kershner decided to film some of the scenes with a stunt double dressed as Chewbacca. After Peter's return to duty, the director had to re-shoot all the footage as the stunt double couldn't move properly.

Each of the three films in the original trilogy is excellentproved itself at the box office, setting many box office records, and became a real phenomenon for popular culture. Chewbacca almost overnight became one of the most recognizable characters in the history of cinema.

Career after

In subsequent years, the actor continued to appear in the image that made him famous in other projects. He appeared in the Star Wars Christmas special and the short film Return of the Ewok, and attended the world-famous The Muppets as Chewbacca.

Besides this, Mayhew starred in other films. He has had small roles in the TV series Hazel, the British horror film The Terror and the mini-series The Dark Towers. He also actively starred in commercials in the image of Chewie.

Return to role and resignation

In 1997, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the premiere of the fourth episode of Star Wars, the MTV Awards presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Peter Mayhew. The actor did not appear in the first two films of the prequel trilogy of the famous saga, but received some screen time in the film "Revenge of the Sith", which, by the way, was released on the screens on his birthday.

In the following years, Peter became a guest on several popular game and talk shows, appeared as a voice actor in the animated series The Clone Wars, and also appeared as Chewbacca in the acclaimed musical series Glee. When it became known that Disney had bought the rights tofranchise "Star Wars" and is going to film the seventh episode of the saga, it was soon announced that Mayhew would return to his famous image. This might seem like an obvious solution to many, however, it should be noted that in one of the novels of the expanded universe, the character was killed off. His return was possible only because Disney declared the works of the expanded universe non-canonical.

As a result, the actor played one of the main roles in the film "The Force Awakens", which grossed over two billion dollars at the worldwide box office and received excellent reviews from critics. However, Peter could no longer start filming the eighth episode due to he alth problems, he resigned as Chewbacca. However, it's worth noting that the credits for The Last Jedi and Han Solo: A Star Wars Story credit Peter as a character consultant.

Today, Peter Mayhew, like many other actors who have become famous through films and TV series in the science fiction and fantasy genres, makes a living mainly by traveling to special fan conventions, performing in front of the public as a special guest and arranges autograph sessions.

The actor also wrote two children's books: "Growing Up a Giant" and "My Favorite Giant", where he described his childhood and urged children not to offend those who differ from them in appearance.

Personal life and he alth

Since August 1999, Peter has been married to Angelique Luker. couple's childrenno. In 2005, British citizen Mayhew completed the procedure for obtaining US citizenship and moved to the city of Boyd, Texas. There he has his own business.

In 2013, the actor underwent surgery on his knees, he was fitted with prostheses to relieve the stress on his joints. After that, Peter is forced to walk with a cane, which was custom-made for him in the form of a lightsaber. In 2015, the actor was hospitalized due to complications from pneumonia. In 2018, he revealed via social media that he had undergone spinal surgery to help him move around more easily. Mayhew is currently undergoing a period of rehabilitation after surgery.

The actor is the founder of a charity that bears his name. She helps children and adults with serious illnesses, and collaborates with other foundations to help promote and advertise them.