So I woke up yesterday to a video message in my in-box from Joonas Suotamo, the Finnish actor who for the past five Star Wars films has been playing the iconic character Chewbacca!
This was a very special thank you message from my good friend Barry Joseph. Sadly, Barry’s father recently passed away, and I helped him organize a virtual funeral and shiva visits from his father’s family and friends. Only Barry, in the midst of his own grieving, would think of such a thoughtful way to thank people who helped out his family.
More from Joonas on getting to play Chewbacca.
Here’s another funny message from comedian Jackie Hoffmann that Barry arranged.
Both of these videos were arranged through a really cool service called Cameo. Cameo is an online platform where anyone can commission a short video message from a large selection of actors, singers, athletes, and other celebrities — from C-listers to some very well known personalities like Sean Astin, Doug E Fresh, and Brett Favre.
Prices go as low as $20 to a still quite reasonable $350 for Gary Busey. And as you can see, the videos are personal, well-delivered, and good quality.