Bringing Star Wars' lovable new droid to the big screen was no small task, as several different versions of BB-8 were used when filming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

"We weren't really sure whether it was possible to achieve BB-8 physically," senior animatronic designer Joshua Lee told NPR. "In fact, it was only about a week to go before filming began that we actually had the physical droids there for J.J. to look at."


Lee then revealed that "seven different versions of BB-8" were built in order "to get all the shots" they needed, with Matthew Denton, who supervised the film's electronic design and development, chiming in to note "they all got nicknames."

According to Lee, The Wiggler was used for close-ups, as it wiggles in a stationary position, "turning its head and tilting its body." Another was the Bowling Ball, which was literally rolled through shots for instances in which BB-8 needed to move quickly. A third, called The Puppet, was physically controlled by a puppeteer using levers and rods when the droid needed to emote, making him "incredibly expressive."

Oddly enough, Lee and Denton didn't see the script until the film began shooting, having only been given a list of things BB-8 needed to achieve on-screen. "We didn't know how much BB-8 was in the movie and I've only realized what a huge deal it is actually," Denton said.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now out in theaters.