R2-D2
| R2-D2 | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars character | |
| File:R2-D2 Droid.png | |
| First appearance | Star Wars (1977) |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Portrayed by |
Kenny Baker (Episodes I-VI and consultant in Episode VII) Jimmy Vee (Episode VII-IX) |
| Voiced by | Ben Burtt (vocal effects) |
| Homeworld | Naboo |
| Radio Controlled by |
John Stears (Episode IV) Brian Johnson (Episode V) Kit West (Episode VI) Grant Imahara/Don Bies (Episodes I-III) Jolyon Bambridge (Episode I) Lee Towersey (Episodes VII-VIII, Rogue One) Oliver Steeples (Episode VII) Mick Garris (Holiday Special, Muppet Show, Live Appearances) |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | R2 |
| Species | Robot |
| Gender | Masculine programming |
| Occupation | Astromech droid |
| Affiliation |
Galactic Republic Rebel Alliance/New Republic Jedi Order Resistance |
R2-D2 (/ˌɑːrtuːˈdiːtuː/), or Artoo-Detoo[citation needed], is a fictional robot character in the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. A small astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character and appears in nine out of the ten Star Wars films to date. Throughout the course of the films, R2 is a friend to Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga.
Design
R2-D2 stands for Second Generation Robotic Droid Series-2, according to a Star Wars encyclopedia published after the release of the film Star Wars.[1] Tony Dyson, owner of the special effects studio The White Horse Toy Company, was commissioned to fabricate the design, making four units operated by remote control. Two were used by Baker, and two were stunt double models made for the scene where the droid was shot from the swamp onto the shore on Dagobah.
Appearances
Production
In the original Star Wars films, there were two R2-D2 models, one that was remote controlled and rolled on three wheeled legs, and another which was worn by English actor Kenny Baker and walked on two legs.[2][3] Deep Roy (who also doubled Yoda in several scenes), served as Baker's double, in both Episodes V and VI; providing stunts and filling in when Baker was unavailable.[4][5][6] The radio controlled R2 was operated by John Stears in A New Hope, Brian Johnson in The Empire Strikes Back and by Kit West in Return of the Jedi.
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ "R2-D2". AI - Artificial Intelligence!.
- ↑ Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope audio commentary (DVD).
- ↑ Empire of Dreams (Documentary). Star Wars Trilogy box set.
- ↑ "The 8 Nerdiest Roles of Deep Roy". The Robot's Voice. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ↑ Brummer, Alicia (January 1991). "Deep Roy – Alive in the Valley". Sand to Sea. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ↑ "Deep Roy Biography". Retrieved March 30, 2016.
.jpg){kind=link}
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||