Harrison Ford Dedicates Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Opening to Late Peter Mayhew

After years of anticipation, the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction in Disneyland has opened its doors to fans, and early impressions indicate that the park lives up to the hype. The opening ceremony for the park, however, also marked a touching moment of remembrance for the Star Wars franchise, with Harrison Ford making a tribute to the late Peter Mayhew, the widely beloved actor who played Chewbacca.

In the opening, hosted by Disney CEO Bob Iger and also featuring franchise creator George Lucas and stars Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams, Ford made his appearance to help activate the replica Millennium Falcon used in the ceremony. As Ford slapped the side of the Falcon to activate it, according to The AV Club, he turned to the cameras and said: “Peter, this one’s for you!”

Mayhew sadly died of a heart attack last month. Previously, he had played Chewbacca in five of the seven films in which the character appears, retiring from the role in The Force Awakens and acting as “Chewbacca Consultant” on The Last Jedi and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Throughout the years since the original film, he had become a recurring and beloved presence for fans, and his death was felt widely.

Ford’s tribute marks a memorialization of Mayhew that lives on in the Galaxy’s Edge attraction, which plunges viewers into the world of Star Wars by recreating a mysterious Outer Rim world. According to The AV Club, Chewbacca also makes a special appearance in the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride in the park.

As for us, we’re glad to see that Mayhew’s legacy is continuing--it’s good to know that his co-stars were thinking of him, and that some piece of him will live on in the park.