Perry, the mythical donkey who inspired the unforgettable character of ‘Shrek’, has died

‘Shrek’ is one of the greatest animated films in the history of cinema, the work of DreamWorks is a classic that will premiere its fifth installment on July 1, 2026. One of the most emblematic characters of the film is Donkey, one of the film’s main characters, who is Shrek’s best friend and stands out for his sense of humor. How did the idea for the character come about? It was thanks to Perry, a donkey born in 1994 who died last January 2 in Palo Alto, California at the age of 30.

Perry served as the model for Donkey in “Shrek,” with animators taking numerous photos and videos of the donkey to capture his behavior and appearance, helping to recreate the animated film’s mythical character. Over the years, Perry has been cared for at Barron Park Donkeys, a Palo Alto organization that has been caring for these charismatic animals since the 1950s.

Perry, a timeless animal in the movie industry

What did Perry die of? The iconic donkey’s departure was due to a disease known as laminitis, an inflammation of the horse’s hoof. Care and attention did not prevent Perry’s passing, but his indelible memory will always remain in the form of the mythical character Donkey. For reference, a donkey in captivity can live to be 40 years old.

Of course, we cannot fail to mention that the voice of Donkey in Shrek was provided by legendary comedian Eddie Murphy, who managed to create a character that has transcended generations in one of the greatest works of animation and put the DreamWorks on the map.

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