VIDEO : George Lucas: 'Kenny Was Truly the Heart and Soul of R2-D2 and Will be Missed'

Kenny Baker with R2 D2 costume George Lucas Reflects On Kenny Bakers Passing The Star Wars community was saddened by the passing of Kenny Baker, the actor who portrayed fan-favorite astromech droid R2-D2 in the first six films of the franchise. Though Baker?s face was never seen on screen, he had a profound impact on millions of viewers across the world, as Artoo became an integral part of the series. The feisty little robot is one of the first characters audiences see in the original movie, kickstarting the entire plot by delivering a secret message to Obi-Wan Kenobi.