Keiko (c. 1976 – 12 December 2003) was a male orca captured in the Atlantic Ocean near Iceland in 1979, and widely known for his portrayal of Willy in the 1993 film Free Willy.

Keiko's caretakers will live nearby in a house fixed up for them by a local farmer. Plans are to lead Keiko out for walks to build up his stamina, and to feed him when he wants to be fed. …

Keiko (pronounced KAY-ko) was an approximately 26-year-old male Icelandic killer whale who was captured near Ingólfshöfði (EENG-ohls-hovu-thi), south-east Iceland, on November 5th, …

Keiko lived five years in his native waters as opposed to staying in a tiny tank in Mexico, where he was visibly dying. Although he didn’t reintegrate with other orcas, he had freedom and had his …

Nov 30, 2025 · Keiko, the orca star of 1993’s Free Willy, lived in poor conditions in a cramped Mexican amusement park pool. Public outcry and media attention following the film led to a …

Watch how Keiko, the orca star of the hit film Free Willy, became the first captive orca to be successfully returned to his ocean.

Jul 19, 2023 · On December 12, 2003, the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation and the Humane Society of the United States reported that Keiko, the orca whale, died in the Taknes Fjord, Norway, in …

Nov 19, 2025 · Behind the cinematic tale of a boy helping a captive killer whale return to the wild was Keiko, an actual orca living in captivity whose life would eventually mirror the movie’s plot …

Keiko is a feminine Japanese given name. Keikō (景行), with a long "o", is the name posthumously given to Emperor Keikō.

Keiko was the first captive orca whale ever returned to his home waters, a historic first. He lived out his life free of the stresses and dangers of life in a concrete tank.