Is Free Willy based on a true story?
Is Free Willy based on a true story?
Keiko the killer whale was a movie star, the real-life whale featured in the 1993 film “Free Willy.” It’s the story of a good-hearted boy and his whale and the brave humans who returned him (Willy, that is) to the ocean and freedom. The real-life story was not so happy.
What happened to Free Willy in real life?
Keiko, the killer whale made famous by the “Free Willy” movies, has died in Norwegian coastal waters after suffering from pneumonia. The whale, who was 27, died Friday afternoon after the sudden onset of pneumonia in the Taknes fjord. He was old for an orca in captivity, though wild orca live an average of 35 years.
Where is Keiko buried?
Keiko the Whale
| Birth | 1976 |
|---|---|
| Death | 12 Dec 2003 (aged 26–27) |
| Burial | Taknes Bay Shoreline Halsa kommune, Møre og Romsdal fylke, Norway |
| Memorial ID | 8176939 · View Source |
Is Free Willy based on Tilikum?
Tilikum is an alpha male orca owned by SeaWorld, who has a well-known history of killing three human beings during his captivity. Keiko The Untold Story – The Star of Free Willy focuses on the life and legacy of Keiko, the beloved orca who starred in the hit film Free Willy.
When did the movie Free Willy come out?
Now more than a quarter of a century old, Free Willy took the world by storm when it was first released 26 years ago.
When was the Free Willy Whale released from Iceland?
Keiko, which means “Lucky One” in Japanese, was released from Iceland in July 2002 with hopes that he would return to the wild. But he swam straight for Norway on an 870-mile trek that seemed to be a search for human companionship.
What was the condition of Willy in Free Willy?
After the movie was released, it brought the living conditions of the star orca, Keiko (Willy) to the world’s attention. His tank was too small, with too-warm chlorinated artificial salt water. Keiko suffered from a weakened immune system and a skin condition around his pectoral fins. There was a monumental effort to release Keiko.
Who is the director of Free Willy Keiko?
David Phillips, executive director of the San Francisco-based Free Willy-Keiko Foundation, said Keiko’s plight changed public perception of whether a whale could be returned to the wild. “We took the hardest candidate and took him from near death in Mexico to swimming with wild whales in Norway,” he said.