Kenny Baker, the British actor who played R2-D2 in six Star Wars films, has died at the age of 83 after a long battle with an illness, The Guardianreports. The 3-foot-8-inch actor became famous in 1977 after his first portrayal of the beloved robot character in Star Wars: A New Hope.
Baker went on to play R2-D2 in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983 in addition to the three Star Wars prequels that came out between 1999 and 2005. Baker is also known for his work in other popular movies from the 80's like Time Bandits, Elephant Man, and Labyrinth.
Baker's niece Abigail Shield spoke to The Guardian about Baker's upbringing and the challenges he faced:
Shield spoke more about Baker's sickness:
Although the end of Baker's life was riddled with sickness, Shield upheld that Baker lived a very "fulfilled" life and accomplished an incredible amount:
Fans, famous and otherwise, paid tribute to Baker upon learning of his death.
George Lucas also provided a statement, saying Baker was the "heart and soul of R2-D2."