Actor David Prowse, best known for his physical portrayal of the most iconic villain in film history, Darth Vader, in the first three Star Wars films, has died at the age of 85 after a short illness.
Sad for Star Wars fans… David Prowse, who played the physical role of the most iconic villain in film history, Dark Vader, in films 4 through 6 of the space saga, has passed away after a short illness. This news was announced by his representative, Thomas Bowington, on social media: “He was a true hero in our lives, his death is a heartbreaking loss that hurts us, and millions of fans around the world,” he also shared with the BBC. He concluded his condolences with: “May he always have the right strength.”
A British actor who pursued sports before entering the world of George Lucas. David Prowse began his career as a bodybuilder. He was an outstanding athlete, winning the world heavyweight weightlifting championship from 1962 to 1964. Later, the world of cinema welcomed him: appearing in numerous television shows from 1967 to 1977, notably as the superhero Green Cross Code Man teaching children about traffic safety, along with impressive film roles, such as his role in Stanley Kubrick’s Orange Mécanique in 1971, and in several Hammer films, playing creatures from Frankenstein (Frankenstein and the Beast of Hell, released in 1974, among others). He also trained Christopher Reeve for his role as Superman, as well as Cary Elwes in Princess Bride.
But his most memorable role is undoubtedly Dark Vador in the Star Wars series… George Lucas himself directly invited him to join his space adventure, after recognizing his impressive height (1.98m), to play one of two characters: either the Wookiee Chewbacca or the Dark Lord Sith. He chose the film’s villain because, as he explained, “Everyone remembers the villain.” That saying has never been truer.
He will share this role with two other actors: James Earl Jones, who will voice the character (Prowse’s Bristol accent doesn’t suit Georges Lucas), as well as Sebastian Shaw, who will appear without a helmet. The voice and face replacement was unacceptable to the actor, to the point that it strained his relationship with Lucasfilm and led to him being banned from film shows in 2010. The filmmaker has left the industry, but his image remains etched in the hearts of many fans.
