An iconic ‘actor’ from the popular Shrek franchise, voiced by Eddie Murphy, has passed away at the age of 30 following an incurable disease, it has been annouced
An iconic Shrek star, who inspired Eddie Murphy’s Donkey character, has sadly passed away at the age of 30. Perry shot to fame after the animation team based the beloved character of Doneky on him for the original movie in 2001.
It has now been confirmed that Perry, the donkey from California’s Bol Park, has passed away following an incurable disease called laminitis. The Barron Park Donkeys Instagram account said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that I am reporting the death of the incomparable Perry.
“We are heartbroken with his passing, but recently he had been in increasing pain, suffering from a condition known as laminitis which is not curable. This was the right time [for him] to say goodbye although still too soon for us.”
They continued: “In Perry’s last weeks, handlers spent many hours at the pasture with him, petting him, cradling him, singing to him, and telling him that he was and always will be loved.
“We are all blessed for having known him and we will never, ever forget him.”
Perry became a sensation and shot to fame after he became the inspiration behind Donkey in the Shrek franchise. His character no doubt contributed to the success of the Shrek movies, which are considered to be one of the most popular animated series of all time.
They even received the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Despite the enormous success and Donkey’s beloved character, Perry didn’t get much credit. According to the Barron Donkey Project, he was only paid £60 for the first movie and wasn’t mentioned in the credits.
However, praising Perry, his lead handler, Jenny Kiratli, shared with SFGATE: “It’s evident if you know Perry and watch the movie that it’s him. It’s amazing how much of our donkey is in Donkey, the way he flips his head when he’s mad at Shrek, the way he trots.”
The Barron Donkey Project mentions on its website that donkeys usually live to be around 25 to 30 years old but can sometimes live up to 40 years.