Star Wars actor behind R2-D2, Kenny Baker, dead at 81
Kenny Baker, the original actor behind the iconic R2-D2 character in Star Wars has died at the age of 81.
Standing 3-feet 8-inches tall, the British actor is mostly unknown to casual movie fans, but hardcore Star Wars fans are very familiar with Baker's work.
In addition to playing the droid in the first three Star Wars films in the '70s and '80s, Baker worked on the prequels that relaunched the franchise between 1999 to 2005.
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"He was very ill for the last few years, so we had been expecting it," Baker's niece, Abigail Shield, told the Guardian. "He had been looked after by one of his nephews, who found him on Saturday morning."
According to Shield, in recent years Baker was wheelchair bound and had problems with his lungs. And when he was asked to attend the premiere of the latest Star Wars film he was too ill to travel.
Nevertheless, Baker, who was told as a child that he might not live past puberty, leaves behind a rich legacy as a vital part of one of the most important film franchises in history.
*Update: The original version of this story listed Baker as 83, however, his official website lists him as 81.
Topics Star Wars
