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Shrek Was Supposed To Have A Different Accent And Our Minds Are Blown

Shrek Was Supposed To Have A Different Accent And Our Minds Are Blown

At first, the green ogre had a different voice entirely.

Mary-Jane Wiltsher

Mary-Jane Wiltsher

Shrek is so cemented in the movie hall of fame that it's impossible to imagine it being done any differently.

So, naturally, our minds were blown when we discovered that the loveable green ogre, whose voice is an earthy-but-gentle variety of Scottish, was originally meant to have an entirely different accent.

Intrigued? We thought so.

Originally, the late comedian Chris Farley was set to voice the title role of Shrek, but tragically died of a heart attack before production on the film was wound up.

Shrek's Scottish accent was originally intended to be something rather different (
DreamWorks)

Mike Myers then stepped in as Chris' replacement, re-recording every line of dialogue.

With the dialogue finished in 1999, by 2000 Mike was able to view an initial edit of the movie, which threw up a big problem: the actor wasn't a fan of Shrek's accent.

With Mike hailing from Scarborough, Canada, the central ogre had a Canadian accent.

The Canadian tones were an evolution from the New York accent that Chris Farley had used for the title part.

CBR reports that, at the eleventh hour, Mike asked to re-record all of Shrek's dialogue in a Scottish timbre.

The actor's logic was that Shrek should have a more 'working class' accent, in direct contrast with the villainous Lord Farquaad, who has a cut-glass English accent.

Mike also reasoned that a Scottish accent would make the lead ogre seem more vulnerable - and therefore relatable.

The substantial edit reportedly cost producers in the region of $4 and $5 million.

Luckily, Shrek was a box office smash and more than made up for it, taking home over $24 million and spawning an entire franchise.

It's incredible to think that the Shrek we know and love was originally something entirely different - voice-wise, at least.

Shrek with a Canadian accent? It's about as easy to imagine as Eddie Murphy's Donkey being voiced by Dot Cotton.

Featured Image Credit: DreamWorks

Topics: TV and Film