Joonas Suotamo

Joonas Viljami Suotamo was born on October 3, 1986, in Espoo, Finland. His early life included stage acting and a passion for music, arts, and movies. He pursued higher education at Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in December 2008, majoring in film and video. While at Penn State, Suotamo also distinguished himself as a basketball player, serving as a power forward and center for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He was recognized for his academic performance, being named to the Academic All-Big Ten team twice. After graduating, he fulfilled his Finnish conscription service, achieving the rank of second lieutenant (res.), and also engaged in a career selling insurance before fully dedicating himself to acting.

Suotamo’s journey into acting began with a significant role in the “Star Wars” saga. He first appeared as a body double for Peter Mayhew, the original actor for Chewbacca, in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015), as Mayhew’s health limited his ability to perform the role fully. This initial experience was a pivotal moment in his career, leading him to fully take over the character of Chewbacca in subsequent films. He officially replaced Mayhew in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017), with Mayhew serving as a consultant. Suotamo reprised the role in “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019), becoming synonymous with the beloved Wookiee character. His involvement in these major productions solidified his position in the film industry.

Beyond Chewbacca, Suotamo has expanded his acting portfolio with other notable roles. He played The Scourge in the Disney+ series “Willow” (2022–2023) across four episodes. In 2024, he took on the character of Kelnacca, a Wookiee Jedi, in five episodes of “The Acolyte” streaming series. Looking ahead, he is cast as Lurch in the second season of Netflix’s “Wednesday” (2025) for six episodes. His career reflects a progression from a collegiate athlete to an established actor, marked by his ability to embody diverse characters within large-scale productions.