The Hollywood Reporter brings word about the new actor under the hood for R2-D2 in the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi, revealing that actor Jimmy Vee took over for the late Kenny Baker in the upcoming sequel.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to have worked alongside the legendary Kenny Baker,” Vee said in a statement released by Oh So Small production agency. “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 honor. 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.”
Vee previously worked on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, though Baker received full credit for the small droid. He previously appeared in other fan-favorite properties, including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Doctor Who.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Johnson (Brick, Looper) and continues the storylines introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, welcoming back cast members Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. New cast members will include Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award nominee Laura Dern, and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran.
The sequel is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin, and Tom Karnowski.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is scheduled for release in theaters on December 15, 2017.
We’re thrilled to announce that #OhSoSmall actor @RealJimmyVee is the new #R2D2!
Full story here: https://t.co/eR2OKAdDR4#StarWars pic.twitter.com/FT1IAWno8I
— Oh So Small (@OhSoSmall) February 13, 2017
