Did an actor sit inside R2D2?

Yes, an actor did sit inside R2D2. The actor was Kenny Baker. He was 3 feet, 8 inches tall and played the role of R2D2 in the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as in the prequels and the sequels. Baker was born in Birmingham, England, on August 24, 1934. He began his acting career in the early 1960s, appearing in a number of films and television shows. He was cast as R2D2 in 1977 and quickly became one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars franchise. Baker passed away on August 13, 2016, at the age of 81.