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Keiko ( c. 1977/1978 – 12 December 2003) was a male orca captured in the Atlantic Ocean near Iceland in 1979. He was best known for his portrayal of Willy in the 1993 film Free Willy. In 1996, Warner Bros. and the International Marine Mammal Project collaborated to return Keiko to the wild. After years of preparing Keiko for reintegration ...
Aug 17, 2023 · In 1993, an orca named Keiko became a worldwide star after appearing in the movie Free Willy, but what happened to the whale after the film is a tale of tragedy. With a name meaning "lucky one," Keiko was captured in 1979 at the age of two. During his younger years, Keiko lived at an aquarium in Iceland, a zoo in Canada, and an amusement park in Mexico, before living up to his name and being ...
1992: Warner Bros. Studios films Free Willy on location in Mexico City. Intended as an anti-whaling film, the producers were unable to find an engaging children's story about whaling, but they locate a script about a boy saving a captive whale from an unscrupulous marine park owner.
Feb 21, 2023 · On the screen was Keiko, the killer whale costar of the film. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Free Willy, and the 20th anniversary of Keiko’s death. In his honor, we look back at the legacy of the iconic orca, whose life drew admiration from a whole generation of ’90s kids, and ultimately changed the trajectory of marine wildlife conservation efforts for the better.
Jul 16, 1993 · Free Willy: Directed by Simon Wincer. With Jason James Richter, Lori Petty, Jayne Atkinson, August Schellenberg. When a boy learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killed by the aquarium owners, the boy risks everything to free the whale.
- (83K)
- Adventure, Drama, Family
- Simon Wincer
- 1993-07-16
Jun 12, 2023 · Jason built a wonderful relationship with Keiko, the whale who played Willy. He was an animal-lover and the trainers were great at integrating him.
People also ask
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Apr 2, 2018 · The real story behind Free Willy – the 1993 movie based on Keiko the friendly killer whale. For many, Free Willy is the childhood story of a young boy who befriends a killer whale before ...
