Animal Kingdom & Rivers of Light Update Sort Of; Kenny Baker, Actor Who Brought R2-D2 to Life, Passes Away

Animal Kingdom & Rivers of Light Update Sort Of:

Last week, I wrote how there has been no update given on Rivers of Light since it was scratched from its Spring debut due to its unreadiness. So instead Disney came up with Jungle Book: Alive with Magic while they continued work on Rivers of Light. It has been known for awhile now that Jungle Book: Alive with Magic would end on September 5th, which brought on an earlier closing of Animal Kingdom. 

Well, the update is that beginning September 6 and for the rest of September Animal Kingdom will close at 9 p.m. with no nighttime show to offer at least for now. No there really is no update on Rivers of Light as there hasn't been for the last 4 months. Again we were supposed to receive an update on the new nighttime spectacular in late-May but it never came to be. None of the other nighttime activities seem to affected by the ending of Jungle Book: Alive with Magic and will continue throughout the month of September. 

So the question still remains: What's going on with Rivers of Light? Stay tuned as always.

Kenny Baker, Actor Who Brought R2-D2 to Life, Passes Away:

Yesterday, we learned the sad news of the passing of Kenny Baker, the beloved actor who brought our favorite droid R2-D2 to life, Baker was 81. The actor who brought one of the most iconic characters into our lives starred in the first six Star Wars films. He was a legend to Star Wars fans everywhere. 

Baker was born in Birmingham, England and began acting at the age of 16. Baker, besides the Star Wars films, had performances in The Elephant Man (1980), Time Bandits (1981), Lucasfilm's The Willow (1988), and so many more. In 1978 he immortalized R2-D2, by cementing footprints of the droid, in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theater. They still remain outside the famed theater to this day.

George Lucas had to say on Baker, "Kenny Baker was a real gentleman as well as an incredible trooper who always worked hard under difficult circumstances. A talented vaudevillian who could always make everybody laugh, Kenny was truly the heart and soul of R2-D2 and will be missed by all his fans and everyone who knew him."

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy added, "We're all saddened to learn of Kenny's passing. There is no Star Wars without R2-D2, and Kenny defined who R2-D2 was and is. He will be greatly missed."

Kenny Baker will definitely be missed by everyone may he rest in peace.