Maurice Tillet (October 23, 1903 – September 4, 1954) was a Russian-born French professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The French Angel. At the age of 17 Tillet noted his face, and hands, growing out of proportion with that of the rest of his extremities. By age 19, he had been diagnosed with Acromegaly. His entire worldview must have changed almost instantly with this diagnosis in 1922.
The real-life inspiration for the animated character Shrek might just be a man nicknamed “The French Angel”
Despite his unusual appearance, Maurice Tillet led a remarkable life and adapted to the challenges caused by his condition. Despite the physical difficulties Tillet continued to pursue his dreams as a lawyer and actor. He could allegedly speak 14 languages. Tillet rose to fame in the 1940s after moving to America and taking an interest in professional wrestling, which he parlayed into a successful acting career. Unfortunately, during his lifetime, the treatments available for acromegaly were limited, and as his condition progressed, his cardiovascular system struggled to keep up with his body’s continuous growth. As a result, Maurice grew weaker, and the strength of his character as the “French Angel” began to decline.
Photos of Maurice Tillet following his acromegaly-induced growth spurt show a man who bears a striking resemblance to Shrek, the kindhearted ogre from the 2001 movie of the same name. It’s widely rumored that Maurice’s unique appearance served as the inspiration for the character design of Shrek. Despite the uncanny physical similarities between Tillet and Shrek, DreamWorks — the studio which released the film — has never officially addressed the long-standing rumor that Tillet’s appearance served as the basis for the animated character.
Photos of Maurice Tillet following his acromegaly-induced growth spurt show a man who bears a striking resemblance to Shrek
