Daniel Alarcón

Finally, they landed on Reino Aventura, who signed off, as we mentioned, without even reading it. And Keiko, it turns out, was perfect for the part. See, for the film to work, the producers needed something very specific, a kind of sad-looking whale living in less-than-ideal conditions. They needed a whale kids would feel sorry for, a whale children would want to save.

Finally, they landed on Reino Aventura, who signed off, as we mentioned, without even reading it. And Keiko, it turns out, was perfect for the part. See, for the film to work, the producers needed something very specific, a kind of sad-looking whale living in less-than-ideal conditions. They needed a whale kids would feel sorry for, a whale children would want to save.

And the fact is, while Keiko might have been happy, he wasn't actually that healthy. He was a couple thousand pounds underweight. Not because he was underfed, but probably because the warm water affected his appetite. He had a skin rash too, something called papillomavirus, which looked bad, even though the veterinarian at Reino Aventura said it wasn't that serious.

And the fact is, while Keiko might have been happy, he wasn't actually that healthy. He was a couple thousand pounds underweight. Not because he was underfed, but probably because the warm water affected his appetite. He had a skin rash too, something called papillomavirus, which looked bad, even though the veterinarian at Reino Aventura said it wasn't that serious.

But most striking of all was his tank. It was small, disturbingly small. One of the film's producers joked it was smaller than some swimming pools in Beverly Hills. The water he swam in wasn't even seawater, just fresh water with salt added. Renata says they checked the salt levels frequently and they weren't under any illusions that Keiko's living conditions were ideal.

But most striking of all was his tank. It was small, disturbingly small. One of the film's producers joked it was smaller than some swimming pools in Beverly Hills. The water he swam in wasn't even seawater, just fresh water with salt added. Renata says they checked the salt levels frequently and they weren't under any illusions that Keiko's living conditions were ideal.

She told me Reino Aventura looked into building a larger pool, but just couldn't make it work financially. So strip away for a moment almost everything I've told you. Forget the love and the games and the trainers and the fans and see instead what the camera sees. Keiko, a smaller than average killer whale with a droopy dorsal fin, swimming alone in a tiny, shallow pool.

She told me Reino Aventura looked into building a larger pool, but just couldn't make it work financially. So strip away for a moment almost everything I've told you. Forget the love and the games and the trainers and the fans and see instead what the camera sees. Keiko, a smaller than average killer whale with a droopy dorsal fin, swimming alone in a tiny, shallow pool.

He was exactly what the movie required. Free Willy was released on July 16th, 1993, and the reviews were positive, at least until journalists started asking what was up with the star of the movie, and news reports about Keiko's subpar living conditions and health began spreading.

He was exactly what the movie required. Free Willy was released on July 16th, 1993, and the reviews were positive, at least until journalists started asking what was up with the star of the movie, and news reports about Keiko's subpar living conditions and health began spreading.

In Mexico, Reino Aventura and the staff were suddenly having to defend themselves in ways they hadn't before, trying to convince crusading celebrities and animal rights activists that they did indeed care about Keiko's well-being.

In Mexico, Reino Aventura and the staff were suddenly having to defend themselves in ways they hadn't before, trying to convince crusading celebrities and animal rights activists that they did indeed care about Keiko's well-being.

When Life magazine published an article describing Keiko's tank as a cesspool, Reino Aventura's director, Oscar Porter, sent a letter claiming the magazine had gotten it all wrong, that Keiko's water was, quote, "...clean and clear." Back in Hollywood, Warner Brothers was getting hammered too. Bags and bags of mail from kids arrived at the offices, all demanding the same thing. Free Willy.

When Life magazine published an article describing Keiko's tank as a cesspool, Reino Aventura's director, Oscar Porter, sent a letter claiming the magazine had gotten it all wrong, that Keiko's water was, quote, "...clean and clear." Back in Hollywood, Warner Brothers was getting hammered too. Bags and bags of mail from kids arrived at the offices, all demanding the same thing. Free Willy.

Or rather, free Keiko. And so, if the studio wanted to avoid a PR nightmare and not break the hearts of millions of children, then it was clear. Someone had to save him. In real life. That's after the break. For centuries, we humans hunted and killed whales as if their numbers were infinite. And over time, we got better and better at it.

Or rather, free Keiko. And so, if the studio wanted to avoid a PR nightmare and not break the hearts of millions of children, then it was clear. Someone had to save him. In real life. That's after the break. For centuries, we humans hunted and killed whales as if their numbers were infinite. And over time, we got better and better at it.

More efficient, more ruthless, extracting more value from each kill. We harvested their blubber, their organs, their baleen, their meat, and it was all transformed into everyday commercial products, from makeup to heating oil. More than 700,000 whales were killed in the 1960s. Whaling was a huge global industry, with profits to match.

More efficient, more ruthless, extracting more value from each kill. We harvested their blubber, their organs, their baleen, their meat, and it was all transformed into everyday commercial products, from makeup to heating oil. More than 700,000 whales were killed in the 1960s. Whaling was a huge global industry, with profits to match.

The killing of orcas was a little different, since they didn't have much to offer us, commercially speaking. But, humans being humans, we killed them anyway. For fear, for sport, for bloodlust. Fishermen trawling for herring or salmon saw them as competitors, so they would shoot them on sight. The U.S. Navy would use orcopods for target practice.

The killing of orcas was a little different, since they didn't have much to offer us, commercially speaking. But, humans being humans, we killed them anyway. For fear, for sport, for bloodlust. Fishermen trawling for herring or salmon saw them as competitors, so they would shoot them on sight. The U.S. Navy would use orcopods for target practice.