David Prowse, the original Darth Vader, is dead at 85

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  David Prowse as Darth Vader and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia filming the original Star Wars. [credit: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images ]

David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the first three Star Wars films, has died at the age of 85. Prowse's agent confirmed the news to the Hollywood Reporter on Saturday evening.

Prowse was a body builder who stood six feet, seven inches tall when he won the Vader role for the original 1977 Star Wars. Prowse also played Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

In a 2016 interview, Prowse said that George Lucas offered him a choice between playing Darth Vader or Chewbacca. Prowse chose Vader, and the Chewbacca role went to Peter Mayhew, who died last year.

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