Chewbacca, the beloved Wookiee character from the Star Wars franchise, is typically portrayed as being around 7 feet 3 inches tall. This height is based on Peter Mayhew, the original actor who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars films from 1977 to 2015.

After Mayhew's retirement, Joonas Suotamo took over the role and is 6 feet 11 inches tall. Despite the slight difference in height between the two actors, Chewbacca's character remains consistently portrayed as a towering figure in the Star Wars universe.

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Peter Mayhew, the original actor who played Chewbacca through the force awakens, was 7 feet 2 inches tall. Joonas Suotamo, who plays the character now, is six feet 11 inches tall.

Answered from LobstaJohnson

Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in all of Chewbacca's live-action appearances in the Star Wars films from the 1977 original to The Force Awakens (2015) before his retirement from the role, was 7'3″.

Answered from Desert Diva

How Tall Was The Actor That Played Chewbacca In Star Wars?

As a huge Star Wars nerd, I’ve always been fascinated by the massive height and size of Chewbacca, Han Solo’s trusty Wookiee sidekick. His towering stature makes him an intimidating presence, which had me wondering – just how tall is Chewbacca? To get to the bottom of this question, I decided to dive into the details of how this beloved character was brought to life on the big screen.

Below I’ll walk through the key facts around Chewie’s height, from the actors behind the suit to his official canon measurement. I also included some fun behind-the-scenes tidbits I uncovered about how Chewbacca’s larger-than-life presence was achieved. Let’s explore the towering legend of this famous Wookiee!

Table of Contents:

• Who Played Chewbacca Originally?
• How Tall Was Peter Mayhew?
• Height of the Current Chewbacca Actor
• What is Chewbacca’s Official Height?
• How Did They Make Chewbacca So Tall?
• Why is Chewbacca so Much Taller than Other Characters?
• How Has Chewbacca’s Height Compared Across Films?
• Behind the Scenes Facts About Chewbacca’s Costume
• What Restrictions Did Chewbacca’s Height Cause?
• My Final Thoughts on Chewbacca’s Extraordinary Size

Who Played Chewbacca Originally?

Chewbacca first appeared on screen in the 1977 original Star Wars film, portrayed by actor Peter Mayhew. Peter Mayhew went on to play the role in the entire original trilogy, giving life to this beloved Wookiee character in those first iconic films.

So the credit for originally bringing Chewbacca to towering heights goes entirely to Peter Mayhew. He established Chewie’s larger-than-life presence from the very beginning that still persists today.

How Tall Was Peter Mayhew?

Peter Mayhew, the British actor who originated the Chewbacca role, was 7 feet 3 inches tall (or 2.21 meters). This great height is what allowed him to play a towering Wookiee on screen alongside average-sized actors convincingly.

In fact, Mayhew was chosen specifically for his extraordinary size. When casting Chewbacca, the producers deliberately sought out an extremely tall actor to match the character’s stats. Peter Mayhew’s natural build was perfect for achieving Chewbacca’s hulking presence.

Height of the Current Chewbacca Actor

After Peter Mayhew retired from playing Chewbacca after The Force Awakens due to health issues, a new actor stepped in to don the furry suit – Joonas Suotamo.

Joonas Suotamo is 6 feet 11 inches tall (or 2.13 meters). While an inch shorter than Mayhew, at nearly 7 feet tall, Suotamo is still an exceptionally huge actor capable of conveying Chewbacca’s strength and stature.

So while Chewbacca may have lost a couple inches of height with the acting change, Suotamo keeps the spirit of his legendary size alive through the newest Star Wars trilogy.

What is Chewbacca’s Official Height?

According to the official Star Wars canon, Chewbacca’s height is listed as 8 feet, or 2.5 meters.

So in the lore of the films, Chewbacca is intended to be an imposing 8 feet tall as a full-grown adult Wookiee male.

This official statistic emphasizes just how huge Chewbacca is supposed to be compared to humans and most other Star Wars species. Of course, finding any actor 8 feet tall would be nearly impossible!

How Did They Make Chewbacca So Tall?

The actors playing Chewbacca have been exceptionally tall men, but some movie magic was also used to boost Chewie’s height even more:

• Peter Mayhew wore platform boots under the furry costume to add 3-4 inches.
• Walking sticks were used by co-stars like Harrison Ford to appear shorter.
• Chewbacca often stood on raised ramps or platforms for heightened effect.
• Taller scale doubles were used for some long distance shots.
• Creative cinematography and framing enhanced his stature.

So through visual tricks and clever directing, Chewbacca’s size was played up even beyond the actors’ heights.

Why is Chewbacca so Much Taller than Other Characters?

As a member of the Wookiee species, Chewbacca is intended to be significantly larger and stronger than the average humanoid Star Wars character.

This great size emphasizes his physical strength and reinforces that Wookiees are a warrior race. It also provides a striking visual contrast with Han Solo’s smaller stature as his co-pilot and first mate.

So Chewbacca’s towering height compared to characters like Solo, Luke or Leia is an important part of establishing his fierce presence and role as the brawn to Han’s brains on the Millennium Falcon.

How Has Chewbacca’s Height Compared Across Films?

Peter Mayhew brought a full 7 feet 3 inches of height to his original portrayal of Chewbacca.

When Mayhew became unable to play the role after The Force Awakens, replacement actor Joonas Suotamo was slightly shorter at 6 feet 11 inches tall.

But through consistent costuming, camera tricks, and platforms, Suotamo has maintained the illusion of Chewbacca being an imposing 8-foot Wookiee throughout the recent trilogy.

So while there was a small natural height difference between the two actors, it’s barely noticeable thanks to continuity in Chewbacca’s overall towering presence on screen.

Behind the Scenes Facts About Chewbacca’s Costume

To create the impact of Chewbacca’s enormous size, some special accommodations had to be made in designing his furry Wookiee costume:

• The costume had adjustable legs and arm extensions to enhance his height.
• The head was held up by a band around Peter Mayhew’s forehead instead of resting on his shoulders.
• Joonas Suotamo wore platform boots under the fur to reach Mayhew’s height.
• Custom suits were needed for each actor’s body shape and proportions.
• Actors’ vision was limited, so overhead obstacles were removed from sets.
• Fans were built into the head to allow actors to stay cool.

So while comfy for a Wookiee, the custom suits added new challenges for the actors inside!

What Restrictions Did Chewbacca’s Height Cause?

Towering well over 7 feet tall, Chewbacca’s size resulted in some unique challenges:

• Difficulty fitting through doors and interior spaces of sets.
• Could not physically fit inside the Millenium Falcon cockpit.
• Restricted mobility and vision for the actors in costume.
• Constant need for ramps, pits, and platforms to frame shots.
• Size limited his fighting style and action moves on screen.

So while critical for Chewie’s character, his extreme height actually proved somewhat restrictive filming the movies!

My Final Thoughts on Chewbacca’s Extraordinary Size

Chewbacca is such an iconic Star Wars character, and his massive size is central to his identity. By digging into the details around the actors, costume tricks, and shooting challenges, I gained an new appreciation for how Chewie’s larger-than-life presence was achieved.

While up to a foot shorter than Chewbacca’s “official” 8-foot stature, Peter Mayhew and Joonas Suotamo did an amazing job of bringing this beloved giant Wookiee to life in a huge way. The films just wouldn’t have been the same without Chewbacca towering over the other characters as Han Solo’s intimidating wingman.

So in summary, Chewbacca’s height ranges from 7-8 feet, thanks to some giant actors and a bit of cinematic wizardry. But there’s no question he has always stood out as one of the tallest creatures in that entire galaxy far, far away!