Darth Vader Puts His Force Behind Charity Jump

Darth Vader isn’t all that evil – he’s helping a British man lose weight so he can skywalk for charity.

David Prowse – who played Darth Vader in George Lucas' Star Wars films – is known for his work training actors, such as Christopher Reeve, to get fit. But in his latest role, the 73-year-old is doing what he loves best: helping raise money for a charity that helps people with disabilities.

British man Nick Lawson is planning to do a tandem skydive to raise money for Phab Kids – a charity of which Prowse is the vice president – and the former actor is helping him train for the event.

“It is a great opportunity to work with Phab, and to meet such an inspirational role model as Dave,” Lawson told the Croydon Guardian in Britain. “Phab is a great charity which for more than 50 years has been bringing together people with and without disabilities, to learn from each other, and above all to have fun. It is a small charity with a big heart and every penny and every pound really does make a difference.”

Helping people with disabilities is a cause close to Prowse’s heart: he has suffered from arthritis for much of his life, and has had both hips replaced.