Darth Vader Actor David Prowse Passes Away

David Prowse, the actor inside Darth Vader's suit in the original Star Wars trilogy, has passed away. He was 85.

Star Wars creator George Lucas said in a statement, "David brought a physicality to Darth Vader that was essential for the character. He made Vader leap off the page and on to the big screen, with an imposing stature and movement performance to match the intensity and undercurrent of Vader’s presence."

"David was up for anything and contributed to the success of what would become a memorable, tragic figure. May he rest in peace," Lucas added.

The voice of Darth Vader was performed by James Earl Jones.

Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill released his own statement on Twitter, saying, "He was a kind man & much more than Darth Vader. He love his fans as much as they loved him."

A bodybuilder from a young age. Before Star Wars, Prowse won three straight British weightlifting titles from 1962-1964. He also appeared in A Clockwork Orange and The Tomorrow People, while Prowse also acted as Frankenstein's monster in multiple films.

In the UK, Prowse is also known for his role as the superhero "Green Cross Code Man" as part of a public safety campaign that started in the 1970s.

As the Star Wars blog post reminds us, Prowse also auditioned for Chewbacca. The role would go to Peter Mayhew, who passed away in 2019.

Darth Vader also appeared in Star Wars: Rogue One, and he was portrayed by Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous, with James Earl Jones reprising the character's voice.