Mark Hamill Pays Tribute to Darth Vader Actor David Prowse

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Mark Hamill Pays Tribute to Darth Vader Actor David Prowse

Mark Hamill pays tribute to Star Wars' original Darth Vader actor, David Prowse, following his passing on Saturday with a sweet note on social media.

Mark Hamill pays tribute to Star Wars' original Darth Vader actor, David Prowse, following his passing on Saturday. Both Prowse and Hamill starred in the original Star Wars trilogy as surprising father-son duo Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, respectively. Since then, Hamill has reprised his Luke for Disney's sequel trilogy, which featured a drastic reframing of the character fans know and love. Last year's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker marked the last time Hamill will play Luke in live-action form, though it seems certain that the actor will always have a hand in the galaxy far, far away.

While James Earl Jones provided the voice for Darth Vader, Prowse was the man behind the helmet for Star Wars' original trilogy. Also known for his role in A Clockwork Orange and his Green Cross Man, Prowse was a vital part of Star Wars' early days. Just yesterday, Prowse passed away at the age of 85, prompting tributes to pour in from across the Star Wars fandom. Hamill, Prowse's onetime onscreen son, has become one of many to chime in on social media.

Early on Sunday morning, Hamill shared his condolences, writing that he was "So sad to hear David Prowse has passed." While sharing different photos of Prowse from across his career, Hamill described the actor and bodybuilder as a "kind man" who was "much more than Darth Vader." Hamill also described his many different accomplishments before concluding with, "He loved his fans as much as they loved him." You can see Hamill's full tribute in the space below.

Though Star Wars fans might not be as familiar with Prowse's face as they are with Hamill's, there's little question that Prowse left a lasting impact on the franchise. Embodying Darth Vader's iconic black suit, Prowse was responsible for the villain's physicality; save for the moments when stuntman Bob Anderson took over, Prowse was Darth Vader fans saw the most. Hamill's words are sweet remembrances for the actor he must've spent a good amount of time with on set, and fans are no doubt touched to read them.

Unlike Hamill, Prowse's time within Star Wars didn't stretch beyond the original trilogy, though he did become the subject of the documentary I Am Your Father. The title, of course, references Darth Vader's biggest moment, when he reveals to a stunned Luke that they're related. To this day, Darth Vader remains one of the best villains found in cinema, and Prowse certainly had a big hand in creating him. Of course, as Hamill said, Prowse was more than just Vader, and there's no question that his career went beyond the lightsaber-wielding bad guy. Still, Star Wars fans will surely hold Prowse close in their hearts going forward.