Peter Mahew talks about how excited he is to play Chewbacca again.
Peter Mayhew told SCI FI Wire that he’s eager to reprise his role as Chewbacca, the hairy Wookiee, in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode III. “You’ve got to have a link between Episode III and Episode IV,” Mayhew said in an interview. “Consequently, the older characters have got to be there. Otherwise it doesn’t gel. And what better character to have, as one of the older members of the [original trilogy’s] cast, than Chewbacca to come back and connect everything together? I was very surprised and very pleased to get that phone call.”
Production on Episode III is well underway in Australia, and Samuel L. Jackson, in fact, has already completed his scenes as Jedi Master Mace Windu. Mayhew, however, confirmed that he’s not yet stepped before director George Lucas’ camera. “I just went out there to do some publicity for it, and they said, ‘Right, we’ll keep in touch and let you know when we need you,'” Mayhew said. “I talked to George, and he was pleased to see us out there. When I go back [to actually shoot Chewbacca scenes] he will be even more pleased, because he’ll be one step closer to getting the movie finished.”
Mayhew, who last appeared as Chewbacca on the 1997 MTV Movie Awards, added that he recently donned the Wookiee’s furry hide for a couple of Episode III costume fittings. “They were very successful,” Mayhew said. “Chewie looks exactly the same as he always has. It was a wonderful feeling for any actor or artist to create something that looks as good today as it did when it was new.” Episode III will be released in 2005.
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