Gorilla

A gentle giant of terrifying dominance and quiet warmth.

Standing seven feet four inches tall and weighing over 500 pounds, he moved through the world with an unhurried, almost tender deliberateness that belied his physical enormity — a paradox that defines the gorilla personality completely. His legendary friendship with Cary Elwes on the set of *The Princess Bride*, where he reportedly carried his co-star around between takes like a protective older brother, mirrors the gorilla's deep tribal loyalty and surprising gentleness toward those within its inner circle. Yet opponents in the wrestling ring experienced the other side of that duality — an overwhelming, immovable dominance that required no aggression, only presence, much like a silverback who silences a threat simply by standing up straight. Gorillas do not fight for sport; they fight to protect, and André's famous declaration that he simply wanted to be left in peace tells you everything about which animal he truly was.