ACTOR KENNY Baker, best loved for his role as Star Wars droid hero R2-D2, has died.
The 81-year-old father of two, originally from Birmingham, had been suffering from ill-health in recent years and was cared for by family in Preston.
His niece, Abigail Shield said last night: “It was expected, but sad nonetheless. He had a very fulfilled life. He brought lots of happiness to people and we’ll be celebrating the fact that he was well loved throughout the world.
“We’re all very proud of what he achieved.”
Scots actor Ewan McGregor, who starred in three films as a young version of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, also led tributes to the 3ft 8ins actor.
He tweeted: “So sorry to hear about this. It was lovely working with Kenny.”
The studio that released the original films, 20th Century Fox, posted a photograph of C3PO standing next to Baker’s Star Wars character, and wrote: “Rest in peace, Kenny Baker, the heart and soul of R2D2.”
Baker found fame in 1977 in the first Star Wars film and reprised the role in subsequent films in the hit franchise in the Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and their three prequels.
Last year he received a credit in Star Wars: The Force Awakens on which he acted as consultant and attended the European premiere in a wheelchair.
He previously also appeared in Flash Gordon, Time Bandits and Mona Lisa.
His agent Johnny Mans said he was with Baker just over a year ago at a charity event at Buckingham Palace, where they met the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
He said: “Kenny was truly a great friend, one of the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet and a fabulous and talented performer.
“My wife and family will miss him terribly, and I will never forget the laughs we shared over the years. He was a one-off.
“There will never be another Kenny Baker. He will be sadly missed.”
Originally from Birmingham, Baker was married to wife Eileen, who died in 1993, and had two children. They met on TV chat show Parkinson.
In the films, R2-D2 was an astromech droid who, along with a so-called protocol droid C3-PO played by Anthony Daniels, became unlikely anchors and narrators of the saga.
He once described sitting in costume as being like a “boiled egg”.
Until his ill-health, believed to be lung related, he was a regular on the sci-fi circuit attending conventions around the world.
In an interview, he said: “It’s all I live on now. I do around three months at the moment.
“I’m not making a fortune but I’m bouncing along.
“I’ve got a nice Rolls-Royce, a nice bungalow and I’ve got a girlfriend I first went out with in the 60s.
“I’m the happiest dwarf in Europe.”
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