CHRIS FARLEY VOICES SHREK IN THIS EARLY TEST REEL

SHREK proved to be one of DreamWorks’ flagship animated titles, paving the way for sequels, merchandise, and even a rides. The duo of Mike Meyers and Eddie Murphy seemed inevitable, but as most SHREK fans know, that wasn’t always the case. Before succumbing to a drug overdose in 1997, Farley had been cast as the lead ogre. Chris’ brother, Kevin, had stated that, “Originally the Shrek character was a little bit more like Chris, like a humble, bumbling innocent guy.” Chris recorded most of his dialogue for SHREK, although following his death, the filmmakers ended up turning to his Saturday Night Live co-worker Mike Meyers to bring the ogre to fruition.

What we have here is some audio from Chris Farley‘s recording sessions set to the backdrop of a few storyboards. As you’ll see (and hear), Farley’s portrait of Shrek was not quite as “in your face” as Meyers’, and contains a few of the mannerisms we’ve come to expect from him when he gets excitable. You can decide for yourself which take you prefer, but one thing’s for sure; the world of cinema is still missing out by not having him around.

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