1.David Prowse turned down the role of Chewbacca

George Lucas‘ first choice for the role of Chewbacca was not Peter Mayhew. Initially, he offered the role to David Prowse an English bodybuilder, weightlifter and actor. Prowse started as a bodybuilder, and he became friends with actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. After appearances in televised sporting events, Prowse was offered a role in Casino Royale (1967) as “Frankenstein’s Monster.”

And so his acting career has begun. He featured in films as A Clockwork Orange (1971), Up Pompeii (1971) and in 1977 George Lucas proposed to him the role of Chewbacca. But he rejected. Instead he accepted the role of Darth Vader stating that “Everyone remembers the villain, George.” At the time, the space opera was not that big, but with the upcoming installments and the critical acclaim, Prowse became the most popular actors portraying a villainous character. Perhaps Chewbacca’s heroic personality did not fit Prowse’s acting aspirations.