Celebrity 'Star Wars' fans mourn the death of beloved Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew

• The "Star Wars" actor Peter Mayhew died Tuesday at the age of 74.
• Celebrities including the "Star Wars" actors Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford mourned the death of the actor, who played Chewbacca in "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope,""The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi."
• Most recently, Mayhew reprised the role in the 2015 movie "The Force Awakens."
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"Star Wars" fans around the galaxy mourned the death of the Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew after his family on Tuesday announced he had died.

The 7-foot-3 actor appeared as the friendly Wookie in the original "Star Wars" film by George Lucas in 1977. He went on to reprise the fan-favorite role in the "Empire Strikes Back,""Return of the Jedi,""Revenge of the Sith," and "Force Awakens" films. He passed the baton to Joonas Suotamo for the role in "Solo: A Star Wars Story,""The Last Jedi," and the coming "The Rise of Skywalker."

Despite his retirement, the heart and soul of Chewie will always be tied to Mayhew, and the force was strong online as tributes to the man behind the myth accumulated.

"Peter Mayhew was a kind and gentle man, possessed of great dignity and noble character," Harrison Ford said in a statement to Variety. "These aspects of his own personality, plus his wit and grace, he brought to Chewbacca. We were partners in film and friends in life for over 30 years and I loved him. He invested his soul in the character and brought great pleasure to the Star Wars audience.

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"Chewbacca was an important part of the success of the films we made together. He knew how important the fans of the franchise were to it's continued success and he was devoted to them. I and millions of others will never forget Peter and what he gave us all. My thoughts are with his dear wife Angie and his children. Rest easy, my dear friend."

"Peter was a wonderful man," the "Star Wars" creator and Lucasfilm founder George Lucas said in a statement. "He was the closest any human being could be to a Wookiee: big heart, gentle nature … and I learned to always let him win. He was a good friend and I'm saddened by his passing."

The "Star Wars" star Mark Hamill, who has played Luke Skywalker in nearly every film, said Mayhew was "a big man with an even bigger heart who never failed to make me smile."

Suotamo also shared his grievances over the death of his Chewbacca predecessor. "Peter's warm welcome when I came aboard as his double in 'Force Awakens' meant so much to me," he said. "An entire 'Star Wars' universe grieves over this terrible loss."

Lando Calrissian (aka Billy Dee Williams) said his "heart hurt" at the lost of his "Star Wars" costar.

Bob Iger, the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, fondly remembered Mayhew. "Peter was larger than life in so many ways…a gentle giant playing a gentle giant," he said.

Other celebrities, including Elijah Wood and Patton Oswalt, shared their reactions.

The San Diego and New York Comic Cons also remembered the Chewbacca actor, who attended countless comic conventions throughout his career.

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