2001’s Shrek is beloved by literally everyone who’s ever seen it, but somehow, it’s not widely known that animators may have drawn inspiration for the iconic character from a French professional wrestler from the early 20th century.



Maurice Tillet moved to the United States at the beginning of World War II and ended up being crowned World Heavyweight Champion twice. He was, unfortunately, also known at times as the “World’s Ugliest Man” due to his distinctive appearance, and his unusual features, which were the result of acromegaly, that may have inspired the team tasked with designing Shrek.


Acromegaly is a disorder caused by excess growth hormone that results in parts of the body growing excessively; it can include enlarged hands, feet, forehead, jaw and nose, as well as thicker than average skin and a deepening of the voice. Tillet only started to notice changes in his appearance, particularly swelling in his hands, feet and head, in his 20s. During his childhood, he was so adorable that he was dubbed “The Angel” by his mother, a nickname he would go on to use professionally.



In the U.S., Tillet made his home in Chicago, where a sports writer for the Chicago Tribune once found him in a cafe and described him as “an apelike creature whose face was so out of focus it could have escaped from the Fritzel television set,” but who was also “a gentle soul who only makes like Boris Karloff for wrestling wages.”


In 1950, a sculptor crafted a bust of Tillet, which can now be found at Chicago’s Museum of Surgical Science (Tillet unfortunately died four years later). This bust, rumor has it, was spotted by DreamWorks animators during a visit to the York Barbell Museum in Pennsylvania, leading them to borrow from Tillet’s appearance for the design of one of their most popular characters.



Hopefully Tillet, who initially tried to make a name for himself in the entertainment business, would be proud to serve as the inspiration for everyone’s favorite gruff green ogre, finally earning himself a place in Hollywood history.