Rare Behind-the-Scenes ‘Free Willy’ Photos That Reveal the Whale’s Real-Life Story
See rare Free Willy set photos—and learn the real story of Keiko, the whale behind Willy
It was one of the most unconventional friendships of all time, yet it somehow stole our hearts. Yes, we are talking about the hit 1993 movie Free Willy, which follows an orphan named Jesse (Jason James Richter) after he is placed with a new foster family and begins working at an aquatic theme park.
While there, he forms an unlikely bond with an Orca named Willy, and soon Jesse makes it his life’s mission to get the giant black and white mammal back to the ocean. It was heartwarming, family-friendly and went on to have several sequels—all featuring a real-life whale! To remember the film and the impact it left on both our hearts and feelings about animals in captivity, we’ve rounded up the best behind-the-scenes photos from the set featuring Willy himself. Read on for more.
Willy, you want to go for a ride?
Getting a whale to the ocean from a tank is no easy task. It requires a car, a trip to the car wash and so much more. And in this photo, you can see Willy, whose real name is Keiko, and his on-screen best friend Richter on the way to do just that. Fun fact, once filming was over, Keiko was returned to the wild just like Willy. He sadly died in 2023 from pneumonia at age 27. He had been in the wild for five years before that.
Riding the waves
In the film, Jesse swims with Willy quite a bit and even rides on his back at one point. But before the actor could do that, he had to learn to surf. Here, you can see Richter practicing to go whale surfing by riding a boogie board on a string. We have to admit it does look like a lot of fun.
Where are the whales?
Despite being a film about a killer whale, there were other animals on set, including sea lions! In this rare behind-the-scenes photo, Lori Petty (who plays animal trainer Rae Lindley) can be seen bonding with the small creatures and was even lucky enough to get a kiss on the cheek. We admit that we’re just a little jealous.
Nothing to see here
The entire cast of Free Willy can be seen here, posing with Willy. However, that’s not the interesting part. Sometimes, production would give Keiko a break from the troubles of being a film star and would replace her with an animatronic whale. That’s what they’re using here, explaining why some of the cast are lying on him. We just hope that while he wasn’t filming, Keiko was able to get a nice, long nap and maybe even engage in some self-care.
Willy, we’re twins!
Like most best friends, Willy and Jesse just had to have a moment where they twinned—but when one of them is an 11,993 Ibs whale, that can be hard. So instead of wearing matching t-shirts, they opted just to stick their tongues out. C’mon, admit it: super cute, right?
Hug it out
At the end of a tough day, there is nothing quite like getting a nice long hug from your best friend—and apparently that includes whales! It’s unclear whether Richter or Keiko needed the hug, but based on the smiles on their faces, it looks like they are both enjoying it.
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