Related
Chewbacca , faithful sidekick and very fearless boy , can be found in field now inSolo : A Star Wars Story , but our furred booster is far more than obligation - stick BFF to Han Solo . In his farsighted , long living , Chewie has seen and donea lotof things . From galactic smuggler to Wookiee warrior , this hairy fellow has amassed quite the resume and quite the fan - base to go along with it .
Now he ’s reach the grand total of 8 appearances inStar Warsfilms , it ’s about time we thought about what goes on under the hood .
dally aptly by Peter Mayhew , with a piddling help from Joonas Suotamo for the action sequences in the more late films , Chewbacca stands at an impressive 8 human foot tall . land - side , it ’s clear that Chewbacca is one democratic sheik present that his name comes in at 18 , 359th most democratic baby human names ( yes , really ) .
So just what is behind the magic of Chewbacca ’s huge and hairy body ? How does he keep his haircloth looking en fleek ? What makes those baby blues pop ? And just what is it that he keeps in that fancy swath of his ?
For the answers to all these questions - and more - read these20 Weird Facts About Chewbacca ’s Body .
Chewbacca’s got skills
What with all the prequels , sequel , and stand - alone stories etc , it ’s credibly deserving setting the fact in blank space before we really get into the IN and out of our dear pal Chewbacca . Most of us are aware that Chewbacca and Han Solo go together like chips and guac , but nobody eff for certain how this beautiful friendly relationship come about – at least as far as the canyon goes , anyway .
Just how did Chewie and Han come to be such beneficial brother ? Fans of the expanded world probably know all there is to know already . Those who do n’t can watchSolo .
What we do know is that the latest film is position during the scourge reign of the Empire and that we get to see why Han Solo turned out as he did .
What we already realize of the Chewie / Solo family relationship is that Solo keeps him around for a reasonableness . Beyond being indebted and honour - bound , Chewbacca is a reasonably beggarly locomotive engineer and facilitate to keep the Millennium Falcon track down .
Do n’t bury , Chewbacca is the dandy who get by to reassemble C-3PO from the fleck big bucks inStar Wars Episode V : The Empire Strikes Back . This is one Wookiee worth his free weight in atomic number 79 .
How does his face work?
One of the beautiful thing about the originalStar Warsmovies was that most of the peculiar effects were made using models and miniature . True to the first film ’s passably down - budget descent , Chewbacca ’s costume was low - key . The whole matter was designed to be relatively simple , just a simple three - slice affair with separate base , a dead body suit of clothes , and a mask .
Chewbacca ’s mouth moves mechanically along with the actor ( Peter Mayhew ) as he speaks - much like the mechanism on show in the infamous Chewbacca Mom masquerade party picture .
Goerge Lucas , lease ’s not forget , is the man behind Lucasfilm and Industrial Light and Magic , the companies he start in 1975 . Responsible for vast initiation and not bad leaps in possibleness during the devising of the Star Wars films , ILM has gone from strength to strength with groundbreaking ceremony and turning point work onJurassic Park , The Avengersand theStar Trekmovie franchise ( shhh , do n’t mention Star Trek here ! ) .
ILM is still fail potent today . With 15 Academy Awards , 15 BAFTAs and unnumerable nomination for technical and core awards around the world , Lucas ' dreaming has grown into a genius player . ILM is even responsible for for that iconic scene at the end ofE.T.when Elliott and E.T. flee across the full moon .
He looked completely different in concept art
Chewbacca might well be one of the most recognizable and well - lovedStar Warsfigures of the modern age , but he could have plough out very differently . According to an originalrough draftof the film , Chewbacca started life as a " huge grey bushbaby with fierce baboon - like fangs . "
By 1974 , Chewbacca had acquire his ammo bandolier thanks to Ralph McQuarrie and by 1975 , the original concept art has a very odd Lemur - like Chewbacca that is yet recognisable from the head down . Between the first and 2d drafts of the script , Han Solo turned from green - skinned alien to the with a pilot for hire with a trace of unsound boy charm . So too did Chewbacca have a act of a make - over .
By the time creature couturier Stuart Freeborn come on set in 1976 , Chewbacca had start to resemble the furred champion we know and have it off today . George Lucas had made the decision to contrive a big gentleman in a suit for the role , and this is certainly what labor the overall concluding smell of our pet Wookiee . And so , on the morning of Monday April 12th , 1976 , Han Solo and his close friend Chewbacca , made their entrance into theStar Warsworld .
He Has a son
If one Chewbacca is n’t enough for you , fear not . Chewbacca is actually father to his own miniskirt - me : Lumpawaroo .
Lumpawaroo is a new Wookiee male and his parent are Chewbacca and his wife Malla . Prior to the liberation of his home major planet Kashyyyk , Lumpawaroo was enslaved during the Age of Empire along with the residual of his species .
Lumpawarroo , or Waroo as he is know affectionately , had a pretty rubbish start in life as a hard worker and later on end up being forsake by his don . Thankfully , Chewbacca was at the heart of Kashyyyk ’s liberation and this is also where father and son were reunite after years aside .
.
Chewbacca ’s son and heir first appeared in 1978 ’s Star Wars melodious spin - off named The Star Wars Holiday Special .
He has appear in plenty of canon - link workplace of fiction and made an appearance in the canon for the first fourth dimension inStar Wars : Aftermathtrilogy of novels compose by Chuck Wendig , all of which take topographic point after the events ofStar Wars : Episode VI Return of the Jedi .
In these literary expeditions , Waroo is every bit the hero as he forge to free enslaved tiddler and rid the planet of the last signs of the vicious empire . In a despairing second , just as Waroo is about to be rid of for his efforts , he is rescue by dear one-time Dad . The brace have a felicitous reunification , despite the days between them and the old adage rings straight : like forefather , like son .
16. How old is Chewbacca?
Wookiees are be intimate to live long , long lives . Though you probably did n’t pick it up from the original flick , Chewbacca is well over two hundred long time old . It has been revealed inSolo : A Star Wars Storythat Chewbacca was already 190 years old when they met . Solo , as is traditional , translates Chewbacca ’s answer for the audience : " 190 years old ? You search great ! "
With a nineteen - year interruption betweenStar war : Episode III - Return of the Sith , andStar war : Episode IV - A New Hope , andSolo : A Story Wars Storycoming just after the end of events inRevenge of the Sith , best guesses would put Chewbacca at between 202 and 203 years sure-enough in the original trilogy .
As of Star Wars : Episode VIII - The Last Jedi , Chewie is over 230 years old .
What we do know is that the tree diagram - dwelling Wookiee species live on incredibly long lives - up to around 400 age . This intend that the Chewbacca we sleep together and sexual love is in the blossom of his life and has many more adventures ahead of him . Chewbacca looks to keep himself in good consideration aside from the remaining encounter here and there so who knows what the future may have in store ?
The Chewbacca Costume Put Peter Mayhew’s Life In Danger
During shoot for 1983’sStar Wars : Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi , actor Peter Mayhew was warn not to go cuckold around in costume during location shoot . The cast and crew were on location in California ’s Redwood and National State Park forests to shoot the Endor scene . The Forest Moon of Endor , home to similarly be - furred Ewoks - unwitting benefactor in the creation of the Death Star - was of course , the web site of the battle of Endor , a huge bust - up between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire .
There were some logical fear that Mayhew , in costume , could be mistaken for a Big Foot and that he might discover himself being injured by hunters looking for a big catch .
The tarradiddle is not without its foundation in " accuracy . " The California Redwoods are infamous as being home to the root of the Big Foot legend . The creature was thought to have first been sight in 1958 , after a series of mysterious encounters .
Nearby town Willow Creek is now home to the largest Bigfoot museum survive . If that ’s not enough for you , Willow Creek also host the declamatory annual festival celebrating their home - grow mythical beast . You ’ve got to admit , there are some outstanding similarities between our pal Chewbacca and his prominent - footed crony .
Wookiees need LOTS of calories
A healthy Wookiee like Chewbacca needs a heap of calories to keep his dead body and flowing locks in good shape . At 8 metrical foot tall , this makes a lot of sense . While Han may have frequently commented on Chewie ’s need for food during their clock time together , it seems this monolithic calorie requirement may be the cause Chewbacca is happy to turn to forage in nature . Poor little porg .
The porg ’s journeying from cunning co - pilot side - kick to lunch might seem problematical , especially if you own one of the plushy versions , but nature is knotty . This is how the animal kingdom rolls .
In all sincerity , there is no incontrovertible proof that Chewie did use up the porg , but judging from those tell - tarradiddle feathering sticking out of his mouth ? We ’ll let you resolve .
.
So what else do Wookiees eat ? Chewbacca has been make love to chow down on , or at least be seen to lap his lips at , animal carcasses fall around on Endor inStar Wars Episode V : The Empire Strikes Back . While we may never bonk for sure , we could make an school guess and say that whatever Chewbacca desire to exhaust , he does , without worrying about his waist .
From intergalactic rescue missionary work , to charging about with Ewoks and a little porg - watching in between , this guy burns more gram calorie than a least sandpiper in the gymnasium could ever reduplicate .
Chewie’s suit was designed by Stuart and Kay Freeborn
The original costume for Chewbacca was designed by the husband and wife squad Stuart and Kay Freeborn . Stuart Freeborn was a special effect and make - up creative person who worked on some illustrious films including2001 : A Space Odyssey , and of course of study , Star Wars . For 2001 , Freeborn made the copycat suits for the unnerving Dawn of Man sequence which perhaps went on to revolutionize his work on the costume for Chewbacca .
Freeborn was also creditworthy for other Star Wars puppet modest and large , hero and villain . He created both Yoda and Jabba the Hutt . Yoda wasapparentlymodelled on Freeborn ’s own features , with a smattering of Einstein - a meet characteristic for the overbold old serviceman of the franchise . Yoda stand out at the clock time for his expressive characteristic and this undoubtedly helped audiences around the ball to relate to his grammatically confusing words of wisdom .
Freeborn combined puppetry and animatronics so as to make his cast of monsters and aliens . Many indicate that this is what gave those originalStar Warsoutings the charm and character that establish them stand out in the canon .
Freeborn ’s other gift to film was of form , the Superman disguise . Freeborn come up with the idea to switch the leave-taking in Christopher Reeve ’s hair from one side to the other depending on whether he was toy Superman himself , or Clark Kent . Freeborn sadly make pass away in 2013 .
Chewbacca has blue eyes
Have you ever looked deeply into the eyes of a Wookiee ? No ? You should try it some time . If you were to do so , you would find that Chewbacca in reality has a beautiful pair of bright blue peepers , courtesy of worker , Peter Mayhew .
It ’s those child blues that unquestionably tote up to the character ’s overall warmth and accessibility .
outstandingly for an actor , Mayhew is only ask to wear upon the flyspeck amount of make up thanks to the Wookiee masquerade party that cut across him during shooting . Mayhew must have black make up applied in rings around his eyes to avail his veridical centre intermix in with the eye holes of the case - which make believe for amusing off - television camera candid photos .
Mayhew ’s blue eyes and elevation were the only features of a casting call for a Chewbacca sales booth - in . Finnish Joonas Suotamo climbed on circuit card to aid Mayhew , who is now catch on in days , with the more physical vista of the role . Mayhew is now 80 twelvemonth of old age and now walk with a cane . Chewbacca , on the other hand , is handily in the prime of his life - and hopefully wo n’t get together the same fate as his in a heartfelt way , foregone friend , Han Solo .
Chewbacca was based on a pet dog
Chewie was n’t based on any just any older preferent dog . George Lucas based the design for our lovable fur Lucille Ball on his very own preferred pooch .
Indiana , an Alaskan malemute dog , survive with his man during the ' 70s and was fond of sitting up on the passenger chair of Lucas ' car like a individual , and so , Chewbacca was put up .
Of of course , the name of Lucas ’s dog might well sound conversant to you , and so it should . Indiana was also the divine guidance for one Dr. Henry Jones Junior .
It did n’t take long for Peter Mayhew to land the office of Chewbacca for himself , as he has sound out in aninterview : " I sat down on the couch waitress for George . Door open up and George walked in with Gary behind him . So , naturally , what did I do ? I ’m raised in England . shortly as someone add up in through the door , I stand up . George goes ' Hmmm … ' Virtually sour to Gary and state ' I consider we ’ve encounter him . ' " Mayhew is here referring to his mighty height .
With that , Mayhew was capable to say goodbye to his career as an hospital attendant in a British infirmary , and hello to life as one of the Star Wars Franchise ’s most well - loved fiber .
