"After my own for instance, my favourite is Princess Leia"
About this Quote
A throwaway line that lands like a wink: Peter Mayhew answers a question that clearly invited sincerity (favorite character, favorite costume, favorite Star Wars figure) by swerving into gentle ego and then undercutting it with affection. “After my own” is the actor’s version of a raised eyebrow. It acknowledges the fan impulse to rank characters while also poking at the absurdity of ranking them at all in a universe people treat like scripture. Mayhew is in on the joke, and he’s inviting the audience to be in on it too.
The second half - “my favourite is Princess Leia” - does a few things at once. It’s an unexpectedly tender pivot from self-reference to admiration, and it’s a savvy read of what Leia represents: competence, defiance, leadership without sentimentality. Coming from the man behind Chewbacca, a character defined by loyalty and physical presence rather than dialogue, the choice carries extra charge. It’s a quiet salute from the saga’s most famous sidekick energy to its most unignorable co-lead.
Context matters here: Mayhew spent decades at conventions where fans asked him to translate his nonverbal performance into personal opinions. This response gives them a story they can take home: playful confidence, then generosity. Subtextually, it also nods to the franchise’s emotional hierarchy. Chewie may be the heart, but Leia is the spine. Mayhew’s line flatters the fans, honors a colleague, and keeps the mythology human-sized - a professional reminding us that behind the roar was always a person choosing, carefully, what kind of legend to reinforce.
The second half - “my favourite is Princess Leia” - does a few things at once. It’s an unexpectedly tender pivot from self-reference to admiration, and it’s a savvy read of what Leia represents: competence, defiance, leadership without sentimentality. Coming from the man behind Chewbacca, a character defined by loyalty and physical presence rather than dialogue, the choice carries extra charge. It’s a quiet salute from the saga’s most famous sidekick energy to its most unignorable co-lead.
Context matters here: Mayhew spent decades at conventions where fans asked him to translate his nonverbal performance into personal opinions. This response gives them a story they can take home: playful confidence, then generosity. Subtextually, it also nods to the franchise’s emotional hierarchy. Chewie may be the heart, but Leia is the spine. Mayhew’s line flatters the fans, honors a colleague, and keeps the mythology human-sized - a professional reminding us that behind the roar was always a person choosing, carefully, what kind of legend to reinforce.
Quote Details
| Topic | Movie |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Mayhew, Peter. (2026, January 16). After my own for instance, my favourite is Princess Leia. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/after-my-own-for-instance-my-favourite-is-91419/
Chicago Style
Mayhew, Peter. "After my own for instance, my favourite is Princess Leia." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/after-my-own-for-instance-my-favourite-is-91419/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"After my own for instance, my favourite is Princess Leia." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/after-my-own-for-instance-my-favourite-is-91419/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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