Lucasfilm has confirmed that Scottish actor Jimmy Vee is the new R2-D2...
Lucasfilm confirmed the news to Mashable and Jimmy's agency, Oh So Small, tweeted about the reveal last night -
We're thrilled to announce that #OhSoSmall actor @RealJimmyVee is the new #R2D2!
— Oh So Small (@OhSoSmall) February 13, 2017
Full story here: https://t.co/eR2OKAdDR4#StarWars pic.twitter.com/FT1IAWno8I
We are familiar with Jimmy, following his appearance in Ireland during filming, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the Star Wars family.
I think this is great news. Having a person inside that suit, emoting and animating R2-D2 is essential, and Lucasfilm choosing an actor to carry on the late Kenny Baker's work, shows how important that is to the character. Many techniques are used to bring the heroic little droid to life, including CGI and remote controlled units, but it's in the quiet moments where R2-D2 benefits form that added touch of humanity.
Congratulations Jimmy Vee. We look forward to seeing your work in the movie this Christmas.
Thank you for reading,