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Real-Life Donkey That Inspired Eddie Murphy's Beloved Shrek Character Dies at 30
Time to pour one out for Perry.
Perry, the all-star Jerusalem donkey who served as the visual inspiration for Eddie Murphy's motor-mouthed and dragon-loving character in the animated Shrek franchise (the first three films are now on Peacock), has died at the age of 30.
The unfortunate news was announced on social media by Barron Park Donkeys, a public pasture in Palo Alto, California where Perry (full: name Pericles) had lived since 1997.
Motion model for Eddie Murphy's Donkey in Shrek Dies at 30
"It is with great sadness that we share the death of the incomparable Perry," they wrote in a statement. "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. 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. We will announce plans for a memorial service for Perry soon."
While not officially named in the end credits of the original film, Perry fulfilled his cinematic destiny in 1999 when the employees of DreamWorks Animation contractor Pacific Data Images stopped by the pasture to study the animal's movements at his Cornelis Bol Park home.
According to the SFGATE, Perry was paid a sum of $75 for his time. “It’s evident if you know Perry and watch the movie that it’s him," his leader handler, Dr. Jenny Kiratli, told the outlet. "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."
Murphy, who has voiced the character since the franchise's inception over two decades ago, is on board to reprise his role as Donkey in a fifth Shrek film, currently slated for a wide theatrical release on July 1, 2026. Thanks to the success of the Puss in Boots spinoff projects, DreamWorks Animation is also working on a solo feature centered around the loquacious jackass.
Fancy a return to the swamp? Shrek, Shrek 2, and Shrek the Third are currently streaming on Peacock!
