Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Peter Mayhew Talks Working With Harrison Ford Again

11/01/2015 11:23 am EST

Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy and now returns for The Force Awakens in December, is in some ways an opposite to his onscreen best friend and foil Harrison Ford.

Ford was notoriously reluctant to step back into the role of Han Solo, having to be convinced even after having had nearly four decades to reflect on the idea of possible sequels. Mayhew, meanwhile, campaigned for the role in spite of health issues that made it difficult to imagine he would actually get it. (There was briefly a casting notice many assumed was for Chewbacca, but per the filmmakers it doesn't seem like there was ever much doubt the role was Mayhew's if he wanted it.)

But how does Mayhew feel about getting back onscreen with one of the world's most famous actors in arguably his best-known role (give or take Indiana Jones)?

"Harrison's one of the guys," Mayhew told Australia's Bmag. "We've been friends for a long time, and he's always been about giving advice and talking things through. He'll ask what you want to do, and he'll tell you how he wants to do it, too. He'll say, 'No, let's try [the scene] this way… don't look over there, look over here'. Just little things. He's got a really soft voice, but I know he's very interested in what's going on, not only as an actor, but almost as a director. And as a friend!"

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