And Baker, because he was one of the handful of actors who featured in the original 1977 Star Wars film, and who remained associated with the film franchise for most of his working life.
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Despite Baker’s long association with Star Wars, he had a long film career with credits including Flash Gordon, The Elephant Man, Time Bandits, Amadeus and Labyrinth.
Anthony Daniels, who had the most screentime opposite Baker’s R2-D2 as C3-PO said: “Sad to hear of Kenny’s passing”.
Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) paid tribute to Baker in a Twitter post calling him “a lifelong loyal friend”, praising Baker for his optimism and determination, and in a nod to the script from Star Wars Hamill says Baker “WAS the droid I was looking for!”
– Darth Vader No1™ (@Burnt_Out_Darth)Today we lost a dear friend.
The actor attended The Force Awakens’ European red carpet event, and met with George Lucas during a visit to Manchester, but is health condition prevented him from attended the movie’s Los Angeles premiere.
“Rest in peace, Kenny Baker, the heart and soul of R2-D2”, the 20th Century Fox Twitter account said. British actor Jimmy Vee has already been lined up to take over the iconic role of R2-D2 in the next Star Wars film, due for release in 2017.
“He was part of a double act called the Mini-Tones, his partner being Jack Purvis, who sadly died after an accident with his vehicle”. However, he went on to be chosen for the man inside R2-D2.
Kenny Baker, the British actor who starred as R2-D2 in the Star Wars movies, died on Saturday.
Baker’s nephew and carer, Drew Myserscough, said he found Baker dead Saturday at his home in Preston, northwest England.
“Unfortunately he was too ill to be part of the new Star Wars films”, his niece Abigail Shield told Sky News television. He brought lots of happiness to people and we’ll be celebrating the fact that he was well loved throughout the world.
In 2009 he published a biography, co-written with Ken Mills, titled From Tiny Acorns: The Kenny Baker Story. “We’re all very proud of what he achieved in his lifetime”, Shield added.
She added: “When he was a child, he was told that he probably wouldn’t survive through puberty, being a little person in those times, they didn’t have a very good life expectancy”.
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His wife Eileen Baker, who was also born with dwarfism, died in 1993.
