Keiko, the most famous resident of the Oregon coast Aquarium in Newport, died at an age considered old for a whale in captivity. However, he was back in the wild when he died. Author: KGW Staff ...

According to a release from The Good Whale, after Free Willy became an unexpected hit, fans learned the orca who played Willy in the movie — a killed whale named Keiko — was ill and living in ...

OSLO, Norway -- For kids, Keiko the killer whale was the charming hero of "Free Willy." For biologists, he was the focus of fierce debate on whether captive animals can be returned to the wild ...

Keiko the killer whale, who was the star of the "Free Willy" movies, swims in his tank at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport in this Jan. 22, 1998, file photo.

But when word got out that the real whale who played Willy, an orca named Keiko, was dangerously sick and stuck in a tiny pool at an amusement park in Mexico City, fans pleaded for his release.

It's been about a year since Keiko was freed from his pen -- and swam straight back to human companionship. With the killer whale drawing 200 to 400 fans a day, the bay he calls home seems more ...

OSLO, Norway -- Keiko, the killer whale made famous by the "Free Willy" movies, has died in Norwegian coastal waters where he remained after millions of dollars and a decade of work failed to coax ...

The new six-episode podcast from "The New York Times" and Serial Productions follows Keiko the orca's journey from animal actor to free whale PEOPLE has an exclusive first listen of the trailer ...

A special screening of the award winning documentary "Keiko the Untold Story of the Star of Free Willy" will take place during the conference Superpod8, followed by a Q&A with Dr. Naomi Rose, Orca ...

Keiko, the killer whale, spent time at the Oregon Coast Aquarium after living in a small tank in Mexico. He was the star of the popular film "Free Willy." ...

Keiko the killer whale, who never seemed to lose his love of humans, succumbs to pneumonia. OSLO, Norway -- For kids, Keiko the killer whale was the charming hero of "Free Willy." ...

OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Keiko, the killer whale made famous by the "Free Willy" movies, has died in Norwegian coastal waters where he remained after millions of dollars and a ...