Peter Mayhew Dead - Chewbacca 'Star Wars' Star Dies at 74

Peter Mayhew has sadly died.

The actor, best known for originating the role of Chewbacca in 1977′s Star Wars, passed away at 74, his official Twitter account confirmed on Thursday (May 2).

“The family of Peter Mayhew, with deep love and sadness, regrets to share the news that Peter has passed away. He left us the evening of April 30, 2019 with his family by his side in his North Texas home,” the account shared.

Peter played Chewbacca in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith and The Force Awakens.

There will be a memorial service for friends and family on June 29, and in early December, there will be a memorial for fans set up with his family in attendance, as well as personal effects and collection at EmpireConLA. He is survived by his wife Angie and three children.

Our thoughts are with Peter‘s loved ones at this difficult time.