Playing R2-D2 isn't exactly one of the most glorious jobs in Star Wars, as you're never actually seen on camera, placed in a tin can, and easily replaceable by CGI if George Lucas decides so. Sadly, the previous actor Kenny Baker died last year at the age of 81. He was still involved in making Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but replaced by Jimmy Vee, who didn't get any credits in the film.
Now Vee has been outed as the official new R2-D2, and has learned from Baker how to make the classic droid come alive. Vee is about the same height as Baker and will do his official debut in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, saying the following about his new job:
"It's been an absolute pleasure to have worked alongside the legendary Kenny Baker. Kenny was a fantastic actor and taught me all the tricks on how he brought R2-D2 to life, which I will continue to portray in his honour."
"I'm so excited to be a part of the Star Wars universe and can't wait for everyone to see what we've been working so hard on for the last year."
Do you prefer real actors doing R2-D2 as far as possible, or is remote controlled/CGI doing the job just as well?
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Thanks The Guardian