Big Fish’s Karl the Giant has died
Matthew McGrory, who played Karl the Giant in Big Fish, died Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 32.
While his character in the film was about eleven feet tall, in real life, Matthew was “only” a bit over seven feet. While he was big, you didn’t really sense he was a giant until you shook his hand. Then you felt like a child trying to greet an adult.
I got to know Matthew a bit while we were filming in Alabama. He was quiet but funny, muttering asides in that incredibly deep voice that sounded computer-generated. He travelled everywhere with his own chair — he was too big to fit in regular ones — but in every other way was a normal member of a sizable cast.
Meeting Matthew, you definitely got the sense that being his size was a strain on his health, and in fact, his death is listed as natural causes. My condolences to his family and many friends.
Articles
August 11th, 2005 at 10:46 am
How sad. He was wonderful and very touching in Big Fish. I loved the way he said: “It’s just I get so hungry. I’m too big.” All of the character’s suffering and humanity was in those lines and the delivery was perfect. It made you want to give him a big hug.
August 11th, 2005 at 12:40 pm
Here’s a link to his screen credits and additional information.
http://imdb.com/name/nm0570067/
August 11th, 2005 at 12:54 pm
Died of natural causes tho he was only 32? Did his heart stop?
I’d heard he was working on an Andre the Giant project -
August 11th, 2005 at 2:18 pm
Rest in peace, M.M.
August 11th, 2005 at 3:36 pm
It’s a complete shock to me. I saw him at a horror convention literally last week, he seemed fine and was with a female friend sitting quietly in a booth. Seemed like a very kind guy.
August 11th, 2005 at 4:16 pm
I’m saddened to hear of it too; his work in Big Fish was extraordinary.
August 11th, 2005 at 9:53 pm
Condolences to his family. He brought touching humanity to that role.
August 13th, 2005 at 9:00 pm
I don’t think his length caused his death? I mean 7 feet is tall, but not that tall. There have been people over 8 feet who did suffer from their length.
I also don’t see why he seems to have been treated like a circus act or a freak.
Maybe it’s because I’m from the netherlands and we’re the tallest people of the planet on average, but I don’t see the big deal about 7 feet?
Either way it’s very sad that someone dies so young and (as it seems) very unexpected too
My thoughts are with his friends and family
August 14th, 2005 at 10:36 pm
How sad that someone so young has passed.
August 16th, 2005 at 5:45 pm
“We don’t live so long, you know, the big and the small”
- Andre the Giant,
(quote from William Goldman on the Princess Bride commentary.)
Very sad.
August 25th, 2005 at 6:10 pm
I know for a while he held the Guinness World Record for the largest shoe size…29 1/2, I think. Crazy.
By the way, John, I like your Spam-guard thing here. Very clever.
April 14th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Trop triste, un tres bon acteur
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:24 pm
loved big fish and his charecter,very sad to hear such things.he was such an awesome screen presence.he has my respect and just to add one of his quotes from big fish………..”GO AWAY….I SAID GO AWAY!!!”.rest well,you deserve it.
June 15th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
“Who art thou?” said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before the little child.
And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him, “You let me play once in your garden, to-day you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise.”
– Oscar Wilde
October 15th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Pity though. I really enjoyed the film!
November 10th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
It’s so sad. He was so funny and cute.
March 9th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I am very sad about this, condolance to his family.