Jimmy Vee

Jimmy Vee (born 3 February 1959) is a Scottish actor, puppeteer, and stunt performer renowned for his portrayals of extraterrestrial characters and creatures in prominent science fiction franchises, leveraging his height of 3 feet 8 inches (1.12 m) to embody non-human roles.^[1][2][3] Vee's career spans film, television, and interactive media, beginning in the early 2000s with appearances in British productions. He first gained recognition in the Doctor Who universe, debuting in 2005 as the Space Pig in the episode "Aliens of London" and subsequently playing the Graske in the interactive mini-episode "Attack of the Graske" (2005) and "Music of the Spheres" (2008), as well as the robot Bannakaffalatta in the 2007 Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned."^[3][4] His Doctor Who credits also include the Skovox Blitzer in "The Caretaker" (2014), among over a dozen creature roles that highlight his expertise in physical performance and puppetry. He has also appeared in multiple episodes of the spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures.^[3][2] In film, Vee transitioned to the Star Wars saga following the death of longtime R2-D2 performer Kenny Baker in 2016, taking over the iconic droid role starting with uncredited work in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). He provided the physical performance for R2-D2 in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), bringing the astromech to life through puppetry and movement.^[5][6][7] Additionally, he served as a creature puppeteer in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), portraying the droid MPH-11.^[1] Beyond these franchises, Vee appeared as a Gringotts goblin in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), the dwarf Lofty in Pan (2015), Arthur in Rocketman (2019), a goblin in Artemis Fowl (2020), the Dwarf Banker in The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022), and the Master of Ceremonies in Bite (2023), establishing him as a versatile performer in fantasy and adventure genres.^[1][4][2]

Biography

Early life

Jimmy Vee was born on 3 February 1959 in Harthill, Lanarkshire, Scotland.^[8][9] He was raised in this working-class Scottish mining community, which shaped his strong ties to his Scottish heritage and local culture.^[10] Vee attended Benhar Primary School in Harthill and Caldervale High School in Airdrie.^[10] As a child, he aspired to be a racing driver and enjoyed speed-related activities, including joining a speedboat team as a hobby.^[10] Before entering acting, he worked in various jobs, including as a TV repairman, car mechanic, and part-time van driver.^[8][10] His father was a joiner, and Vee assisted him in building garages and garden sheds.^[10] Vee's height of 112 cm (3 ft 8 in) was a notable physical characteristic from his formative years.^[1]

Personal life

Jimmy Vee was born on February 3, 1959, in Scotland, making him 66 years old as of 2025. He resides in the United Kingdom.^[4] Vee has dwarfism, which accounts for his height of 3 feet 8 inches (1.12 m).^[4][11] This physical characteristic has presented everyday challenges typical of individuals with dwarfism, such as adaptations for mobility and accessibility in standard environments, though Vee has not publicly detailed specific personal experiences beyond his professional context.^[12] Vee is a father of three and has been married twice, both ending in divorce.^[8] He owns two German Shepherd dogs.^[9] Little is publicly known about Vee's other hobbies, as he maintains a private personal sphere outside his acting career.

Career

Early career and stage work

Jimmy Vee began his professional career in the entertainment industry in 1988 as a stunt performer, working as one of the stunt doubles for Warwick Davis in the fantasy adventure film Willow, directed by Ron Howard. His contributions involved executing physically demanding sequences suited to the film's depiction of diminutive characters, drawing on his height of 3 feet 8 inches to facilitate authentic portrayals in a production that blended live-action with practical effects.^[4][13] Vee continued building his stunt expertise in 1997 with a role as stunt double in the medieval adventure Prince Valiant, where he supported action-oriented scenes amid a cast including Stephen Rea and Katherine Heigl. These early film experiences established Vee as a reliable performer for roles requiring agility and precision in fantastical settings, laying the groundwork for his multifaceted career in acting and performance arts.^[2][14] In 2001, Vee transitioned into on-screen acting with an uncredited appearance as a goblin in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, contributing to the magical underworld scenes at Gringotts Bank alongside actors like Warwick Davis. This minor role highlighted his knack for embodying otherworldly figures through physicality and expression, marking a pivotal step from behind-the-scenes stunts to visible character work.^[2][10] Vee's stage work complemented his film beginnings, particularly in British pantomime traditions that emphasize physical comedy and audience interaction. A notable example is his portrayal of Cheeky, one of the Seven Dwarfs, in the 2015–2016 production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Glasgow's King's Theatre, where he shared the stage with stars like Elaine C. Smith and panto dame Jordan Young. Critics commended Vee's energetic and credible performance amid the show's mix of humor, song, and spectacle, which drew strong audiences during the holiday season and underscored his versatility in live theater.^[15][16]

Doctor Who and BBC roles

Jimmy Vee debuted in the revived Doctor Who series in 2005, portraying the Moxx of Balhoon, a diminutive alien diplomat, in the episode "The End of the World."^[17] That same year, he performed as a Space Pig in the two-part story "Aliens of London" and "World War Three," and as a Graske—a mischievous, goblin-like alien—in the interactive mini-episode "Attack of the Graske," which accompanied "The Christmas Invasion."^[18] These early roles established Vee as a versatile performer for the show's compact alien characters, leveraging his puppeteering skills to animate prosthetics and suits.^[19] In the 2007 Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned," Vee took on the key supporting role of Bannakaffalatta, a cyborg Zocci serving as a kitchen cyborg on the luxury starliner Titanic.^[20] The character, marked by his red, spiky skin and cybernetic enhancements from a prior accident, bonds with the Doctor and fellow survivors amid a deadly robot attack, using his technical expertise to aid their escape before heroically sacrificing himself to ensure Astrid Peth's survival.^[21] This performance highlighted Vee's ability to convey emotion and humor through limited dialogue and physicality within a bulky costume.^[18] Vee made multiple appearances in the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures from 2007 to 2010, contributing to its family-oriented adventures with alien threats. He reprised the Graske in episodes such as "Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?" (2007), "The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith" (2008), and "The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith" (2009), where the creature attempts incursions into Earth.^[22] Additionally, he portrayed Chris Slitheen, a young member of the criminal Slitheen family, in "Revenge of the Slitheen" and "The Gift," as well as a baby Slitheen in other installments, bringing playful menace to the reptilian aliens' schemes against Sarah Jane Smith and her team. In the series, he also played a Krillitane in "The Lost" (2010).^[23] His work in the series, spanning at least five episodes, emphasized quick, agile movements that amplified the creatures' chaotic energy.^[22] Beyond the core Doctor Who universe, Vee continued his BBC contributions in live-action roles. In 2017, he appeared as Mr. Kennedy, a patient in a hospital drama, in the third episode of the thriller series Trust Me.^[24] In 2022, he performed as a Dwarf Banker in the Netflix prequel The Witcher: Blood Origin, showcasing his ongoing expertise in fantasy creature portrayals through subtle physical characterization.^[25] Vee's recurring puppeteering in the Whoniverse, including later roles like the Skovox Blitzer in Doctor Who's 2014 episode "The Caretaker" and Deep Andy in "Oxygen" (2017), has significantly enhanced the realism and expressiveness of alien designs, allowing for more dynamic interactions in scenes with limited visual effects reliance.^[19][17]

Star Wars franchise

Jimmy Vee first became involved with the Star Wars franchise as the puppeteer for R2-D2 in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), though he received no on-screen credit, with the late Kenny Baker listed instead due to Baker's role as consultant amid health issues.^[5][6] Vee's prior experience in puppeteering, honed through roles in British television like Doctor Who, positioned him as a natural fit for the demanding physicality of operating the iconic astromech droid. Following Baker's death in August 2016, Vee was officially announced as R2-D2's performer for the sequel trilogy in February 2017, selected after Baker had personally mentored him on the character's movements during The Force Awakens production.^[26][27] Vee continued as R2-D2 in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), where the droid makes a brief cameo alongside C-3PO in the Rebel base on Yavin 4, and reprised the role in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017), including key scenes on Ahch-To where R2-D2 interacts with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to replay Obi-Wan Kenobi's message from A New Hope, filmed on the remote Skellig Michael island.^[28] In Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Vee served as a creature puppeteer, portraying the droid MPH-11.^[1] His work emphasized practical effects over CGI, maintaining the franchise's tradition of on-set puppeteering to ensure authentic interactions with the live-action cast. Operating R2-D2 presented significant physical challenges for Vee, as the suit—affectionately called "the can"—offered limited space, often feeling like a microwave due to heat buildup during long shoots, requiring crew members to lift the lid between takes for ventilation and hydration.^[27] To fit comfortably, Vee underwent a strict diet, eliminating up to 24 cans of Coca-Cola and chocolate biscuits daily, resulting in nearly a stone of weight loss before principal photography. Techniques involved manual operation of the droid's legs for walking scenes, while wheeled or remote-controlled versions handled other movements, with Vee focusing on expressive head tilts and beeps coordinated via motion capture and sound effects teams. On set, he forged warm connections with the cast, including sharing tea with Carrie Fisher between trailers, and collaborated closely with Hamill during the emotional Ahch-To reunion scene, where precise timing ensured R2-D2's beeps elicited genuine responses.^[27][29] Vee concluded his tenure as R2-D2 in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019), wrapping filming in February 2019.^[7] His contributions were widely praised by fans and critics for preserving R2-D2's mischievous personality and seamless integration into the ensemble, as highlighted in interviews where Vee expressed fulfillment in honoring Baker's legacy while bringing fresh energy to the character across four major films.^[30] This era marked a poignant transition for the franchise, blending tribute to original performers with innovative practical effects that enhanced the droid's enduring appeal.

Filmography

Films

Jimmy Vee's feature film credits span a range of roles, often involving character suits, puppets, or creature performances, beginning with uncredited work in the early 2000s and continuing through major franchises in the 2010s and 2020s.

Television

Vee's television credits span several BBC science fiction series, as well as other dramas.

Doctor Who

• The End of the World (2005) – Moxx of Balhoon^[36]
• Aliens of London (2005) – Space Pig
• Attack of the Graske (2005) – Graske^[37]
• Music of the Spheres (2008) – Graske^[3]
• Voyage of the Damned (2007) – Bannakaffalatta^[38]
• The Caretaker (2014) – Skovox Blitzer^[39]
• Oxygen (2017) – Deep Andy^[3]

The Sarah Jane Adventures

• Revenge of the Slitheen (2007) – Carl Slitheen^[40]
• The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith: Part 1 (2008) – Graske^[41]
• The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith: Part 2 (2008) – Graske^[42]
• The Gift: Part 1 (2009) – Chris Slitheen^[23]
• The Lost (2010) – Krillitane^[43]
• Death of the Doctor: Part 1 (2010) – Groske^[44]
• Death of the Doctor: Part 2 (2010) – Groske^[45]

Other series

• Trust Me (series 1, episode 3, 2017) – Mr. Kennedy^[24]
• The Witcher: Blood Origin (season 1, episode 2, 2022) – Dwarf Banker^[46]