Original cast members Peter Mayhew (L), who portrayed "Chewbacca," and Harrison Ford, who portrayed Han Solo, attend a screening commemorating the 30th anniversary of "Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back"
Original cast members Peter Mayhew (L), who portrayed Chewbacca, and Harrison Ford, who portrayed Han Solo, attend a screening commemorating the 30th anniversary of "Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back" in Hollywood May 19, 2010. Reuters/Fred Prouser

Casting directors for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” had to hire a Chewbacca double to maintain the character's sprightly self in the film. At 71 years old, Peter Mayhew, who portrayed the original Chewbacca since 1977, could reportedly no longer do the rigorous action scenes so filmmakers had to look for someone younger and obviously someone very tall to fill in for him. Fortunately, they found their second Chewbacca in Joonas Suotamo.

In an interview with Business Insider, Suotamo talked about his experience in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” as Mayhew’s Chewbacca double. The 29-year old revealed that his coach for the Finnish national basketball team had informed him about the casting call back in 2013. Although the film was reportedly looking for someone with Mayhew’s height at seven feet and two inches tall, the coach still thought of Suotamo even though he only stands at six feet and 11 inches.

“I was told to send in an audition tape of me doing a caveman impression,” he said, adding that he had no idea at that time what movie he was auditioning for.

However, when he got the first few documents to sign, that’s when he realised it was for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens." The paperwork had the working title “Foodles” upon which he learned only through internet rumours as the production title for the movie.

"I took three trips there [during the audition], and on the first time I got more details and realized what my role would be,” he told the Business Insider.

In 2014, he met J.J. Abrams in London and was told that he got the role as Mayhew’s Chewbacca double. Suotamo told the Business Insider that he worked on the film for five months where he was constantly guided by Mayhew about his character.

He revealed that he would always practice Mayhew’s movements as Chewbacca in front of a full-length mirror before he gets called to the set. However, Suotamo declined to reveal his scenes in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” when asked how much screen time he got as Chewbacca.

In an interview with Yahoo, Abrams said Suotamo got to play as Chewbacca’s double in “so many scenes.” He also talked about the young actor having so much respect, connection and love for the character all his life.

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