Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew on Tuesday revealed he had undergone spinal surgery in an effort to improve his mobility. The 7-foot 2-inch Star Wars actor wrote on social media that the procedure had gone well.
“Sorry, I’ve been quiet as of late,” Mayhew wrote. “I’ve been planning & going through some spinal surgery to improve my mobility. It’s been a success & I’ll be spending the upcoming weeks recovering.”
He added, “A big thank you to the doctors, staff, my family & friends that have helped me through this.”
Along with the message, the actor posted a picture of himself relaxing in his hospital bed, with his arms above his head in the classic Chewbacca pose. He also announced that he was canceling his appearance at this weekend’s London Film & Comic Con due to the surgery.
Mayhew in recent years has used a cane (which looks like a lightsaber) and a wheelchair at times to help him get around.
Mayhew played the wookie in the original trilogy and in some of the new films. However, Finnish actor Joonas Suotamo took over playing Chewie for future installments, including Solo: A Star Wars Story.
