- "Stuart was already a makeup legend when he started on Star Wars. He brought with him not only decades of experience, but boundless creative energy. His artistry and craftsmanship will live on forever in the characters he created. His Star Wars creatures may be reinterpreted in new forms by new generations, but at their heart, they continue to be what Stuart created for the original films."
- ―George Lucas
Stuart Freeborn (September 5, 1914 – February 5, 2013)[1] was the makeup supervisor for the Star Wars original trilogy. He was hired by director George Lucas after Lucas became impressed with his makeup effects work in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.[3] He worked on all three films and the Holiday Special.[4] Freeborn was responsible for transforming Peter Mayhew into Chewbacca. He was instructed to make a creature that was a mix of a dog and a cat. He was influenced by the monkey-man creatures that he worked on in 2001: A Space Odyssey.[5] Some of his most notable contributions include creatures at the Mos Eisley Cantina,[4]Yoda, Chewbacca, and Jabba the Hutt.[6] He initally based Yoda's face on his own face, but he felt that those designs lacked the deep widsom that Yoda deserved. He then combined his face that with Albert Einstein's face.[7] His wife Kay Freeborn and son Graham Freeborn were also makeup artists.[2] Orn Free Taa may have been named after him.[8]
Works[]
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Contribution(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope | Makeup supervisor |
| 1978 | The Star Wars Holiday Special | Makeup supervisor |
| 1980 | Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back | Makeup supervisor |
| 1983 | Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi | Makeup supervisor |
Sources[]
- Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
"Stuart Freeborn" — Star Wars Insider 102- Stuart Freeborn Remembered on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "A Star Wars Family Legacy" — Star Wars Insider 141
- SDCC 2014: Star Wars Collectibles Panel – Liveblog on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars in 100 Scenes
- "Blaster" — Star Wars Insider 152
- Ultimate Star Wars
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- Much to Learn You Still Have: 8 Things You Might Know About Wookiees on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Stuart Freeborn: The Makeup Master" — Star Wars Insider 196
- Yoda | Star Wars Full Circle on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (backup link)
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – The Official Collector's Edition
- From the Pages of Star Wars Insider: Inside Jabba the Hutt on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Day Wanna Wanga - The Tale of the Twi'leks" — Star Wars Insider 219
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Stuart Freeborn, makeup artist behind 'Star Wars' characters Yoda and Chewbacca, dies at 98 by Lawless, Jill on www.timescolonist.com (February 6, 2013) (archived from the original on February 8, 2013)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
Stuart Freeborn Remembered on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 'Star Wars' (PG) by Arnold, Gary on www.washingtonpost.com (May 25, 1977) (archived from the original on June 23, 2020)
- ↑ Much to Learn You Still Have: 8 Things You Might Know About Wookiees on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑
Yoda | Star Wars Full Circle on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (backup link)
- ↑ "Day Wanna Wanga - The Tale of the Twi'leks" — Star Wars Insider 219
