Keiko was the 15-year-old orca that played Willy in the movie. He became the first captive orca ever to return to the wild.

Here are the stories of six animals that found fame on the silver screen. Free Willy star Keiko’s real-life rescue story is as dramatic as the film’s The Free Willy movies, which told the ...

However, despite their enormous contribution to cinema, animals wild or tame are not eligible for Oscars. Keiko, the orca, might have been honoured for his 1993 performance in Free Willy. The little ...