Andre The Giant And Robin Wright's Relationship On The Princess Bride Explained
André the Giant, in real life known as André René Roussimoff, lived a challenging life. He would be the center of attention anywhere he'd go as people couldn't help but stare at the 7-foot-4-inch giant, which was something that irritated him.
But, on the sets of "The Princess Bride," he felt equal to the rest of the cast and crew because they treated him as if he were a human and not a special attraction, according to his co-star Mandy Patinkin.
During this stage in his life, the many years of wrestling and his acromegaly took a toll on his body. He was dealing with many aches and pains to the point where he struggled to do some of the physical stunts in the film.
André the Giant had appeared in various movies and TV shows in his acting career, but none was more notable than his performance in "The Princess Bride." He was coming off the heels of his battle royal victory at WrestleMania when he was cast as the lovable Fezzik — a part that was actually developed with André in mind, as per The Wrap. He worked alongside Robin Wright, who took on the leading role of Buttercup, and the two appeared in several scenes together.
Wright rose to fame for her work on the NBC soap opera, "Santa Barbara," a part that brought her Daytime Emmy Award nominations. Following the success of "The Princess Bride," she would go on to star in films and television such as "Forrest Gump," "Unbreakable," "Wonder Woman," and "House of Cards."
The struggle of a giant
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Robin Wright recalled her initial encounter with André the Giant in which she ran away from him in fear. "The largest human being on the Earth was in front of me. Yes, I was petrified," she said.
Despite his large and menacing frame, Wright said the wrestler was genuinely a sweet person and recounted a story about how he kept her warm during filming.
"We were freezing cold in the middle of this forest, riding horses in the rain and I didn't have an overcoat for some reason. And he just came over and he's always hot, like in a tank top when we'd be in Nordic wear and he just put his hand on my head and warmed my head with his hand." There was a scene where André was supposed to catch Wright, but he was unable to. The crew hooked Wright on cables so that she would feel weightless and make it easier for André.
The film was released in 1987 and became a box office hit and a cult classic. In the same year, he started a feud with Hulk Hogan, which culminated in their iconic match at Wrestlemania III in 1987.