British actor Kenny Baker, best known for his role as the endearing droid R2-D2 from the Star Wars series, has died after a lengthy illness. He was 81 years old.
Standing less than four feet tall, Baker played R2-D2 in the original Star Wars trilogy as well as the three prequels. He returned as an adviser for The Force Awakens, which premiered in December of 2015, in spite of his failing health.
"It was expected, but it’s sad nonetheless," said Baker's niece, Abigail Shield. "He had a very long and 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 in his lifetime."
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