R2-D2: 10 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About The Little Droid

R2D2 is the droid that is as famous as Luke Skywalker. R2 is so synonymous with Star Wars, even a casual fan knows him. Usually, we picture R2 with his friend C3PO at the center of the story.

Yet, as with many aspects of the Star Wars franchise, R2D2 has some surprising secrets that you may not know. Where did this droid’s name come from? Did an actor play R2? What kind of droid was he?

Read more to find out ten interesting facts about R2-D2.

#10 R2-D2 Inspired Real-life Droids

When a ten-year-old girl saw R2 on the big screen, the moment influenced her so much that she eventually founded iRobot, a company that builds robots like the Roomba. Other scientists have also been inspired.

A NASA robotics engineer drew on R2-D2 to make a humanoid robot used on the International Space Station. One article commented on how R2 has influenced coffee makers, smartphones, and self-driving cars.

This droid has influenced our world beyond the screen and story.

#9 Lucas Named R2-D2 from his First Film

George Lucas directed the film American Graffiti that came to theaters in 1973. This film gave the writer-director R2’s name.

A film reel label, used before digital recording, of this movie was titled R2D2. This meant it was the second dialogue track on the second reel. Lucas picked up on this name and used it in Star Wars.

Another film, Silent Running by Douglas Trumbull from 1972, also helped inspire R2’s design. Borrowing from one another in the arts is a common practice. As Plato once said, all art is “a form of imitation.” That applies here too.

Yet, in this case, this borrowing brought a lawsuit that was later dropped. Names and designs need inspiration.

#8 R2-D2 had Eight Versions in The Empire Strikes Back

Tony Dyson built the first R2D2 for A New Hope through his White Horse Toy Company based on designs from artists Ralph McQuarrie and John Stears.

As Special Effects Supervisor, Dyson went on to build 8 more versions for the second original movie. Four of the models were remote-controlled, while two were built for an actor to sit in.

This robot technician worked on other major movies, but felt the eight models for The Empire Strikes Back played the most crucial role in creating R2’s personality.

Without such dedication to the construction of R2, the droid may not have come alive the way audiences loved.

#7 Actors Made R2-D2 Come to Life

Kenny Baker was the long-time actor that was inside R2D2 to give this droid some of its movements. Baker worked conjointly with a remote control to help bring R2 to life.

The London-based comedian Baker controlled R2’s appendages, lights, and turned R2’s head back and forth. Baker turned down the role initially before George Lucas personally convinced him to play R2.

After Baker died in 2016, actor Jimmy Vee took over this inside role. Vee already performed this role in the 2015 The Force Awakens. R2 would not be the same without these actor influences.

Nor would R2 sound right without sound designer Ben Burtt, who blended his voice with a synthesizer to make baby-like cries, and other sounds.

Baker, Vee, and Burtt helped make R2D2 an unforgettable character.

#6 R2-D2 Appeared in Other Movies

R2 and C3PO made appearances in the Steven Spielberg movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Both droids are shown twice as hieroglyphics in the scene when Indiana Jones goes into the Well of Souls. This seems like an easter egg tribute among directors.

Or, it could be that the two movie universes are connected. Audiences can decide which is correct.

R2 also was in two Star Trek movies, directed by J.J. Abrams. In a scene from Star Trek Into Darkness, we see R2 getting pulled out into space. R2-D2 is so popular that he can’t be contained to Star Wars.

#5 R2-D2 Went to Dagobah Twice

When Luke Skywalker took R2-D2 to the swampy planet Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back, R2 looked like a fish out of water. The droid clumsily made his way around and looked like a newcomer to Yoda’s hideout planet.

However, R2 had already been to Dagobah with Yoda during the Clone Wars. R2 didn’t like this watery world during his first visit, and the droid did not appreciate being swallowed and spit out by a swamp monster on his second.

#4 R2 Was a Mechanic

As an astromech droid, R2-D2 was designed to repair starships. He was among many astro droids that served as technicians or mechanics. Astromechs like R2 had many tools, served as co-pilots, fixed common issues, and calculated hyperspace jumps.

As his name implies, R2-D2 was an R-2 series droid, which became the most popular variety of astromech because of the number of tasks they could complete.

R2 was thus not meant to be anything more than a reliable astromech. Yet, he emerged as a hero. He distinguished himself in his service to the Rebellion, his smart and witty personality, and his multiple owners.

#3 R2 Had 6 to 8 Owners

Padme Amidala was the first owner of R2-D2, or technically the Naboo Defense Forces. In The Phantom Menace, R2 served Queen Amidala when she escaped Naboo and continued to be her valuable aid as she became a senator.

R2 then went over to Anakin Skywalker, served as the maintenance droid for Anakin’s starfighter, and became centrally involved in the Clone Wars.

During this time, General Grievous captured R2 and kept him as a hostage, which may count as an owner. As described above, R2 was also assigned to Yoda to travel to Dagobah, a brief ownership.

After Anakin’s turn to the dark side, R2 is with Senator Bail Organa, which in turn places R2 with Princess Leia during A New Hope when she implants the Death Star plans.

Jawas, perhaps temporary owners here, picked up R2 and C3PO. Luke Skywalker takes over from here. We may think that Obi-Wan Kenobi owned R2 for a time, but that does not appear to be true.

R2-D2 then travels with Rey in the sequel movies. This clearly appears to be an owner and friend relationship.

#2 R2-D2 Saved the “Heroes” of Star Wars

Although we may think of Luke Skywalker and crew as the heroes of the original movies, R2D2 was the one who saved them multiple times.

In A New Hope, R2 stopped the trash compactor from crushing Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca. He also safely delivered the Death Star plans so the Rebels could blow it up.

R2 fixed the hyperdrive in the Millenium Falcon so that our presumed heroes could make their escape at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. And, R2 threw Luke’s lightsaber to him in Return of the Jedi so Luke could defeat Jabba’s crew.

In The Phantom Menace, R2 saved Queen Amidala’s starship by repairing its shield and took out two super battle droids in Revenge of the Sith. This video recaps some of those amazing moments, including saving Padme Amidala from lava.

The question is: when did R2 not save the day? Even George Lucas has recognized R2 as the true hero of Star Wars.

#1 R2-D2 Has been in the Most Star Wars Movies

Appearing more than Luke Skywalker, R2-D2 has been in all nine of the main Star Movies, from The Phantom Menace to The Rise of Skywalker. C3PO has also achieved this feat.

R2 even appeared in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. He has only not appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: Resistance.

No character appears in all the Star Wars movies. Only the actor Anthony Daniels has done so. R2 and 3PO thus take the lead role in terms of story and appearances.