8. Chewbacca’s costume

Chewbacca’s original costume was designed by Stuart Freeborn. Lucas wanted the costume to be a mix between a monkey, a dog and a cat. The costume was made from a combination of real yak and rabbit hair knitted into a mohair support.

While the design portrays Chewbacca as a lovable creature, at some point his costume was the subject of a little controversy. Some studio executives thought that Chewie needed to put some clothes on. So the discussion about incorporating some kind of  below-the-waist clothing item started.

Thanks God they didn’t go further on with this idea, as the character would have looked rather ridiculous. George Lucas insisted that this change should’t be applied and his strong opinion was taken into consideration by the studio.