Actor Dave Prowse, who plays the role of Darth Vader in the earliest trilogy of Star Wars movies, died of old age at the age of 85.
The sad news was confirmed by his agent, Thomas Bowington who described his passing as a big and sad loss for fans all over the world.
“May the force be with him, always,” Thomas said.
Prowse was cast as Darth Vader for his imposing physique of 6ft 6in (1.98 m), even though the role was voiced by James Earl Jones.
“Though famous for playing many monsters – for myself, and all who knew Dave and worked with him, he was a hero in our lives,” added Thomas.
Actor Mark Hamill who plays the character of Luke Skywalker also expressed his sadness over Prowse’s passing on Twitter.
“So sad to hear David Prowse has passed. He was a kind man & much more than Darth Vader,” Hamill said.
“He loved his fans as much as they loved him,” the actor added.
Prowse played the role of Darth Vader for the first three Star Wars films in 1977, 1980, and 1983.
Spotted by director George Lucas while he starred in the film Clockwork Orange (1971), he was later invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca in 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
According to the BBC, Prowse later chose the character of Darth Vader over Chewbacca because “you always remember the bad guys”.
Source: BBC, Mark Hamill