Veteran British actor Jeremy Bulloch, best known for originally playing the character of Boba Fett in the "Star Wars" films, died on Thursday following a lengthy bout with Parkinson's disease, his agents said.
The 75-year-old actor died at St George's Hospital in the Tooting district of London.
"He died peacefully, in hospital, surrounded by his family," agent Kelly Andrews said in a statement. "He had a long and happy career spanning more than 45 years. He was devoted to his wife, three sons, and ten grandchildren and they will miss him terribly."
His long career included credits for "The Spy Who Loved Me" in 1977, "Summer Holiday" in 1963 and the "Doctor Who" TV series between from 1965 to 1974.
But he'll be remembered around the galaxy for playing feared bounty hunter Boba Fett in a number of the "Star Wars" movies.
Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” franchise, called Bullock a “quintessential English gentleman”
“A fine actor, delightful company & so kind to everyone lucky enough to meet or work with him,” Hamill wrote in a tweet Thursday. “I will deeply miss him & am so grateful to have known him.”
Bulloch is among a number of recently deceased "Star Wars" actors whose legacies are forever tied to their iconic film characters. David Prowse, who played Darth Vader, died last month at the age of 85. Last year, fans mourned the loss of Peter Mayhew, who was best known as the towering and hairy Chewbacca.
Though the Boba Fett character was first introduced in the 1978 "Star Wars" holiday special, Bulloch first brought the intergalactic bounty hunter to the big screen in "The Empire Strikes Back" and again in "Return of the Jedi."
Boba Fett was a relatively minor character in the film franchise, but the mystery surrounding the Mandalorian bounty hunter quickly turned him into a fan favorite. The fascination with Boba Fett was so enduring that Disney created a series inspired by him, “The Mandalorian.”
Most people might be familiar with the hit Disney Plus show for its cutest star, “Baby Yoda,” but the series revolves around a mysterious Boba Fett-like gunslinger who travels the galaxy.
In a reflection on the character ahead of the spin-off’s premiere last year, The Ringer wrote that Boba Fett might have been forgettable if not for the fact that “his intriguing aesthetic offered countless storytelling possibilities.”
In 2018, Bulloch told "Star Wars" devotees that he'd have "hang up the Fett helmet" and stop attending fan gatherings, presumably for health considerations.
"It has not been an easy decision to make," he said in a 2018 statement. "In 1979 I was called onto the set of Empire Strikes Back to play Boba Fett, and since that day it has changed the entire direction of my life in such a wonderful way. It has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to inspire so many generations of Star Wars fans."
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