Oliver Steeples

Oliver Steeples is a member of the R2-D2 Builders Club, a fan organization dedicated to creating fully-functioning, film-accurate droid models from the Star Wars franchise. At Celebration Europe II in summer 2013, Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy hired Steeples and fellow droid builder Lee Towersey to work on Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. As part of the film's creature effects team, they were focused solely on building astromech droids at Pinewood Studios.

Prior to working on Star Wars, Oliver constructed and operated several robots on the UK television series Robot Wars from 1997 to 1999. His 12 kilogram robot "Cunning Plan" reached the tournament finals of the show's first season before being eliminated. Incidentally, he was introduced in the show's first season as a fan of Star Wars with his personal hero being George Lucas.

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