Peter Mayhew, l'attore che interpretava il peloso copilota Chewbacca in diversi film della saga di Star Wars, è morto nella sua tenuta in Texas. Lo ha reso noto la sua famiglia con un post su Twitter. Mayhew, che aveva 74 anni, è deceduto lo scorso martedì circondato dall'affetto dei suoi cari. Non si conosce, per ora, la causa della morte, anche se sono noti da tempo alcuni suoi problemi di salute.
L'attore lascia la moglie con tre figli che, stando a quanto riportano i media statunitensi, vorrebbero preparare per amici e parenti un incontro commemorativo a Los Angeles per la fine di giugno ed un altro, solo per i fan, entro la fine dell'anno.
Mayhew, alto 2,21 metri è nato e cresciuto a Londra; scoperto mentre lavorava presso un ospedale, ha interpretato il suo primo ruolo negli anni '70 vestendo i panni di un'altra creatura mitologica, un minotauro. Il personaggio che però gli si è "appiccicato" addosso per sempre è proprio quello di Chewbacca, "molto più di un ruolo" dicono oggi i tanti attori e colleghi della "famiglia di Star Wars".
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