Jimmy Vee
James Vee (born 3 February 1959) is a Scottish[1] actor, puppeteer and stunt performer. He is best known for playing a number of Doctor Who monsters and aliens including Bannakaffalatta in the 2007 Christmas special Voyage of the Damned, as well as the Graske in the Doctor Who spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. He is also well known as the actor for R2-D2 in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, replacing the late Kenny Baker, who died in 2016.
Jimmy Vee | |
|---|---|
 Vee at Comic Con, Newcastle in 2016 | |
| Born | 3 February 1959 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Height | 1.12 m (3 ft 8 in) |
Career
Vee started his career as a stunt double/performer for various small actors[2] and extras in films such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Vee also starred as Cheeky the dwarf in the King's Theatre, Glasgow adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.[1]
Vee originally auditioned for R2-D2 in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, although filming clashed with Pan at the time and Vee was not used. In November 2015, he was cast as R2-D2 in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, succeeding Kenny Baker before his death in August 2016.[3][4]
Personal life
He is a dwarf, standing 1.12 metres (3 ft 8 in) tall, the same height as Kenny Baker, who originally played R2-D2.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Goblin | Uncredited |
| 2007 | Skins: Secret Party | Digger | Short film |
| 2009 | Kilt Man | Midget | |
| 2015 | Pan | Lofty | |
| 2017 | Dark Ascension | Evil Dwarf | |
| Star Wars: The Last Jedi | R2-D2 | ||
| 2018 | Train Set | Randy | |
| Solo: A Star Wars Story | Creature and droid puppeteer | ||
| 2019 | Rocketman | Arthur |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Weirdsister College | Gargoyle | Episode: "The Gargoyle" |
| 2005–14 | Doctor Who | Moxx of Balhoon Space Pig Graske (multiple) Bannakaffalatta Skovox Blitzer | Episodes: "The End of the World" "Aliens of London" "Attack of the Graske" "Voyage of the Damned" "Music of the Spheres" "The Caretaker" |
| 2007–10 | The Sarah Jane Adventures | Slitheen (multiple) Krislok the Graske Groske | Episodes: Revenge of the Slitheen Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? The Lost Boy The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith "From Raxacoricofallapatorius with Love" The Gift Death of the Doctor |
| 2017 | Trust Me | Mr. Kennedy | Episode #1.3 |
References
- Lyons, Beverley (11 December 2015). "Scots actor Jimmy Vee hotly tipped to join Star Wars cast.. but admits he doesn't even know a light saber". Daily Record. Glasgow, Scotland: Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
- "Midlands MCM Expo - Sept '08 - Part 6 - Jimmy Vee 1 - YouTube". Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- McEwan, Cameron K. (16 November 2016). "Doctor Who actor Jimmy Vee is the new R2-D2 in Star Wars Episode 8". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- Lawson, Nicola (13 August 2016). "Kenny Baker, actor behind R2-D2, dies". The Guardian. London, England: The Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2 April 2018.