Take a look at these amazing Shrek facts, one of the most popular Ogre!
Since Shrek first was seen on screens in 2001, he’s been among the top loved creatures of all time! And, err, one of the very few! Here are 20 facts about our favorite green guy that you’ve did not know! Which one is your favorite?
1. Shrek is an adaptation of an earlier book.
The film’s first installment is based on a novel written in 1990 written by William Steig, an artist, and illustrator. The original story revolves around an ogre who escapes home searching for fortune. And in the story, Shrek is also able to breathe flames! Steig passed away at the age of 95 in 2003. So the author lived long enough to witness his character’s life appear in the flesh!
2. The accent of Shrek was originally planned to be Canadian
Shrek initially sounded like the Canadian accent, similar to his vocalist Mike Myers, but roughed up a little to make it sound more ogrish. Eventually, Shrek decided to change his accent; however, Mike was of Scottish roots and decided to prefer the Scottish accent. And so, Shrek’s distinctive voice was born.
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3. Mike Myers’s love letter to his wife was real.
At the end of the film’s first installment, the scene where Shrek informs Fiona that he loves her, Mike Myers recorded the lines he said to his real wife so that they be real. When he says”I love you,” the truth is that he truly believes it! What a sweet romance!
4. Bill Murray could have played Shrek.
The initial drafts of the story were quite different. The film was to be drawn by hand, not animated with computers. Bill Murray was set to portray Shrek as well Steve Martin would play Donkey. Additionally, Fiona would have been an ogre for the film’s duration, which completely alters the plot!
5. Shrek was intended to appear completely different.
The early drafts of Shrek depict him looking a lot more…ogry with red lips and long, tiny ears missing teeth, and, err, sandals? He was a lot more silly and not like the Shrek that we have come to love and know. The lucky ones made the changes!
6. Shrek is nearly 8 feet tall.
Shrek is around 7-8 feet high, making him more than the average human, even though the tallest person ever measured at 8 feet 11 inches! Shrek’s size and strength are among the main reasons no one is pushing him around and also make Lord Farquaad appear even tinier!
7. Mike Myers was never meant to be Shrek.
The character that Shrek plays Shrek is actually written by Mike’s friend and co-star on SNL actor Chris Farley. Unfortunately, Farley died soon after the production began. However, there are videos of him delivering some of Shrek’s dialogue. It’s odd to think of any other person as Shrek, yet it almost was.
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8. The word Shrek comes from a German word.
The name “Shrek” comes in the German word “Shreck,” which refers to ‘fear’ or “terror.’ This is the same name given to the famous Hollywood actor Max Schreck, who is famously the spooky vampire Orlock in the movie Nosferatu which was released in 1922. Let’s face it. Our Shrek isn’t really frightening, just a little unhappy.
9. Mike Myers said yes because He loves fairytales.
When Chris Farley passed away, and Mike Myers was given the part, he decided to play the part due to his own fairytale memories. His mother acting would muddle around while telling him stories at bedtime and gave the characters hilarious voices. This was the experience that led Mike Myers to take up the part.
10. Shrek did not always live in the middle of a swamp.
The first designs offered a range of designs for the places Shrek could live. They included a dump in the vicinity of a village called Wart Creek, and then with his parents, in which Shrek was said to have kept trash and the rotting fish in his room. Considering the ‘lonely and misunderstood’ premise, it wouldn’t be a great idea, so it’s a good thing Shrek ultimately ends up in his favorite swamp. And truthfully, we don’t see Shrek living anywhere else.
11. Shrek is a Hollywood Star
You may think it’s just real people who have the ability to get Hollywood stars. However, fictional characters may get them too! Shrek was awarded an award at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and Mike Myers made a speech to celebrate the event. You can go to LA!
12. Shrek is a character from a videogame.
Shrek can be played in various video games, like Tony Hawke’s Underground 2, Madagascar Kartz, and Dreamworks Super Star Kartz. Several Shrek games tie to the films!
13. Nicholas Cage didn’t want to look like an ogre.
Sure, Nicholas Cage was one of the first choices to be as the character’s voice Shrek However, he turned the role down due to a shocking reason…he wanted to avoid being an Ogre! Cage thought that the role of an ogre wasn’t very attractive, and so he said no! It’s true. Nicholas cage has never played any other characters that look weird…
14. Shrek was to be real.
It’s not real, but live-action combined with CGI. Thus, Shrek could be CGI. However, the human characters are, well, human. They had even begun developing this idea. However, test audiences weren’t able to like it, and that’s the reason we got the iconic CGI film we still remember to this day. It would’ve been quite bizarre If Shrek was animated and Fiona was a human!
15. Shrek is believed to be an actual person.
It is believed that Shrek’s appearance was based on an actual person, in particular, French boxer Maurice Tillet who became famous during the 1930s and 1940s. Tillet suffered from a condition that resulted in him having more feet, hands, and face than the norm; however, he was only 5’9” tall. It’s easy to conclude the resemblance between him and Shrek is completely plausible, but it’s not been proved. Tillet was not green, however!
16. Shrek’s dad was trying to take him to the kitchen.
In the film Shrek The Third, Shrek says that his father attempted to eat him many times while the child was asleep! This is the reason why Shrek is anxious about becoming a father himself. Perhaps you think that your dad’s feet smell, but at least you know he’s (hopefully) not covered your body in barbecue sauce and attempted to take you to a restaurant!
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17. Shrek has been seen in different locations.
In addition to appearing in his own videogames, films, or musicals, Shrek is also featured in various Dreamwork films, for instance, with the help of an award in Monsters Vs Aliens and the Rocky and Bullwinkle short in 2014. He was also planned to be in Guardians of the Galaxy. However, Mike Myers couldn’t make it at the final cut.
18. He may be the most well-known org
When you hear the word “ogres you’re likely to think about Shrek first, however, he’s not the only one to make the headlines. Ogres and their stories have been in circulation since the beginning of time and they can be found everywhere across the globe. Famous Ogres (sometimes inexplicably referred to as gigantic) include the Ogre of Puss in Boots, Grendel in the epic poem Beowulf, and Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant in the epic poem Odyssey. We’d rather hang out with Shrek rather than any of the other ogres!
19. Shrek saved DreamWorks
Before Shrek hit the market, DreamWorks struggled to establish its studio identity. Shrek’s blend of humor parody, humor, and pop culture references earned it fame and allowed DreamWorks to grow and create more films featuring the same blend of comedy and fantasy, such as How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Foo Panda. Thank you, Shrek!
20. Shrek isn’t a final name.
He could do it, but it’s never mentioned! It’s just ‘Shrek’! After Fiona gets married to him, she’s said to adopt his name. However, she’s never mentioned as such. Maybe she’s just ‘Mrs “? At the beginning of the film, Shrek is only referred to as “Shrek” only to Donkey and Fiona, and everyone else refers to him as ‘ogre.’ This is to prove to the world that Fiona and Donkey are truly concerned about Shrek!
