Ever wonder what Shrek would’ve been like if it wasn't Mike Myers in the swamp? Honestly, it’s one of those Hollywood "what ifs" that feels almost like an urban legend until you actually hear it. But the Chris Farley as Shrek audio isn't a myth. It's real. And it is heartbreakingly different from the movie we eventually got in 2001.
Before he died in 1997, Farley had recorded nearly the entire movie. We're talking 80% to 90% of the dialogue. He wasn't just a "backup" or a "possibility." He was Shrek.
The Vibe Was Totally Different
Most of us grew up with the Scottish-accented, slightly grumpy, but ultimately cynical Mike Myers version. Farley’s Shrek? He wasn't a curmudgeon. He was basically a misunderstood teenager.
In the original scripts, Shrek didn't just want to be left alone in his swamp; he was a young ogre who didn't want to go into the "family business" of scaring people. He wanted to be a knight. He wanted to be a hero. He wanted to be liked.
When you listen to the leaked audio—specifically the campfire scene with Eddie Murphy's Donkey—you can hear the vulnerability. It sounds like Farley. It sounds like a guy who just wants to fit in but knows he’s too big and too ugly for the world to accept him. It’s sweet. It’s a little sad. It’s definitely not the "get out of my swamp" energy we know today.
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The Famous Leaked Footage
For years, the audio was locked away in the DreamWorks vaults. People talked about it in hushed tones, but nobody had seen or heard it. Then, around 2015, a storyboard reel leaked online.
It was a rough animation, mostly black-and-white sketches, but the audio was crystal clear. It showed Shrek and Donkey sitting by a fire. Shrek talks about his dreams. He isn't yelling. He’s talking in that soft, slightly raspy Wisconsin-tinged voice that Farley used for his more earnest characters.
The chemistry with Eddie Murphy was already there. Even back then, they knew the big-guy-small-guy dynamic was gold. But without the Scottish brogue, the movie feels less like a broad parody and more like a classic, sincerity-driven fairy tale.
Why Mike Myers Re-Recorded Everything
After Farley passed away in December 1997, DreamWorks was in a tough spot. They actually considered hiring a voice impersonator to finish the last few scenes. His brother, Kevin Farley, was even mentioned as a possibility to bridge the gap.
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Ultimately, they decided to start over. It was a respect thing, mostly.
Mike Myers came in and originally recorded the whole movie in his natural Canadian-ish accent. It didn't work. He felt like something was missing. He told Jeffrey Katzenberg that he wanted to try it with a Scottish accent—like his mother used to use when she read him bedtime stories.
DreamWorks spent an extra $4 million to re-animate the lip-syncing for the Scottish version. It was a massive gamble that paid off, but it meant Farley's version was buried even deeper.
The Cast That Could Have Been
It wasn't just Farley who was different. The original cast list for that mid-90s version of Shrek looks like a fever dream:
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- Janeane Garofalo as Princess Fiona (She was reportedly fired after Farley died because the tone changed).
- Eddie Murphy as Donkey (The only survivor of the original cast).
- Chris Farley as Shrek.
Garofalo has since said that she never really got a clear explanation for why she was let go, other than "the project changed." It makes sense—her dry, sarcastic wit matched Farley's earnestness, but maybe it didn't mesh with the "new" Shrek Myers was building.
Where to Find the Audio Today
You can't go out and buy a "Farley Cut" of Shrek. It doesn't exist as a finished product. Most of the animation from that era was discarded or updated. However, the internet being the internet, pieces have surfaced:
- The 2015 Storyboard Leak: This is the most famous clip. It’s about two minutes long and covers the "stars" conversation.
- The 1995 Animation Test: A very early, slightly creepy-looking 3D test recently surfaced showing a different Shrek design dancing to "I Feel Good."
- Documentary Snippets: The documentary I Am Chris Farley features some clips and interviews with people who were in the room during the recordings.
Knowing how much Farley put into the role makes the final movie a little bit bittersweet. He saw Shrek as his way out of being the "loud, fat guy" in movies. He wanted to show he had heart. In a way, he did—even if we only get to hear it in leaked snippets on YouTube.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re obsessed with this bit of lost media, here is how you can actually dive deeper:
- Search for "John Garbett Shrek" on Vimeo or YouTube. He was a producer who originally shared the storyboard reel that gave us the best look at Farley's performance.
- Compare the scripts. Early drafts of the Shrek script are floating around online in screenplay archives. If you read them while imagining Farley's voice, the dialogue makes a lot more sense.
- Watch the original 1995 test footage. It was recently "found" and uploaded by lost media archivists. It shows just how much the character's physical design changed to match Mike Myers' features later on.
The story of the Chris Farley as Shrek audio is a reminder of how close we came to a completely different era of animation. It’s a glimpse into a version of a classic that was more "fable" and less "meme."
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