It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Mayhew, known as the man behind the mask for the iconic and beloved character Chewbacca in the STAR WARS franchise. Peter has played Chewie in all three films of the original trilogy, in EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH, and EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS. Outside of the movies, Peter also played everyone’s favorite Wookiee in the infamous STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL, the 1997 MTV Movie Awards, on The Late Show with David Letterman, and in an episode of GLEE. For the past few decades, Mayhew was a frequent guest at Sci-Fi and comic con events around the world, including STAR WARS CELEBRATION (appearing most recently at the Celebration in Chicago last month). Peter loved meeting the fans, especially the younger generation of children who loved the franchise. Seeing him interact with kids was always a treat. He passed away on Tuesday of this week, just weeks shy of his 75th birthday.

While I would see him frequently on the convention circuit, I was lucky enough to know Peter and his wonderful wife Angie on a more personal level, and spent time with them at their home in Grandbury and eventually Boyd, TX. Peter would sometimes share stories of his life before the STAR WARS fame, humble beginnings with his family in the UK. I enjoyed having discussions with him about his travels, the people he met and places he visited, and from time to time even a tale or two about his early days working with George Lucas. Peter moved to Texas to start a new life with Angie, but he also became a “Texan” in every sense of the word. I would go over to their house for New Year’s Eve and we’d listen to country music, sometimes even do karaoke while drinking far more than we should have. I even recall singing Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” and dedicating it to Peter, which he seemed rather amused by. The thing I enjoyed most was seeing him and Angie together, and seeing how much they were in love. As a couple, they were inspiring and beautiful, and welcomed me into their lives like I was family. In 2017 I was honored to host the The Peter Mayhew Foundation charity auction during Alamo City Comic Con in San Antonio, where I also hosted a special Q&A with Peter and actor Ian McDiarmid on stage… the only time that I know of those two ever did a panel together. Peter and Angie also joined me a few years ago on a panel that served as a special memorial for Carrie Fisher, who sadly left us in December of 2016. When I asked them if they’d be willing to do a memorial panel with me the weekend after the new broke, the answer was “Absolutely”, and it was a moment I think everyone that attended found to be very special.

I will miss Peter dearly, but I’m so glad I was able to know him on a more personal level, and I’m extremely happy that so many of his fans had a chance to meet him on the convention circuit. If you have stories, please share them below. My sincere condolences go out to Peter’s family and Angie during this difficult time.

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