Shrek is a fictional ogre character created by American author William Steig. Shrek is the protagonist of the book of the same name and of eponymous films by DreamWorks Animation. The name "Shrek" is derived from the German word Schreck, meaning "fright" or "terror". Shrek is voiced by Mike Myers, although it was planned for him to be voiced by Chris Farley before his death in December 1997.