How a giant actor lived in the real world who could play Bigfoot with almost no makeup
How a giant actor lived in the real world who could play Bigfoot with almost no makeup

Video: How a giant actor lived in the real world who could play Bigfoot with almost no makeup

Video: How a giant actor lived in the real world who could play Bigfoot with almost no makeup
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This unique actor has starred in two dozen roles in just six years of his career. In addition to his outstanding height (2 m 29 cm) and the largest foot in the world, he was distinguished by his outstanding acting talent. We remember him, first of all, from the films Men in Black 2, Big Fish, Constantine: Lord of Darkness and Enchanted. It is interesting that the actor, who played mostly giants and monsters, was a very gentle and kind person in life. Unfortunately, Matthew McGrory's career was short-lived.

McGrory was born on May 17, 1973 in West Chester, Pennsylvania. His parents were far from Hollywood. The father worked as an accountant, and the mother devoted her life to the family, because the “baby” that appeared with her demanded increased care from the first days. From early childhood, the boy was diagnosed with an unusual disease - gigantism. Already in kindergarten, Matthew was 150 cm tall and weighed about 70 kg, and then there was another sharp growth spurt. Treatment for pathology consists in hormonal therapy and orthopedic posture correction, but these measures can only partially smooth out the manifestations of the disease.

Matthew McGrory is a unique American actor
Matthew McGrory is a unique American actor

Another problem for the family was Matthew's legs. They seemed to grow even faster than the whole body. Already in the first grade, shoes for the boy had to be bought in the department for adults, and then the foot grew to 75 cm, because of this McGrory even got into the Guinness Book of Records. All his life he was forced to wear custom-made shoes, and his mother knitted and sewed socks.

After graduating from school, Matthew chose the profession of a forensic scientist and began to study in this specialty at the university of his hometown, but his studies did not last long. The giant young man became a member of several television shows and was noticed by filmmakers. One of the first works in front of the camera for him was shooting in the video "Coma White" by Marilyn Manson, and then a young man with an unusual appearance was invited to act in films. True, his first film turned out to be the low-budget horror film The Dead Men Hate the Living, but after this experience McGrory decided to change his profession and began to study acting.

Matthew McGrory and Ewan McGregor in Big Fish
Matthew McGrory and Ewan McGregor in Big Fish

I must say that the giant was not mistaken with the choice of work. The shortcomings of his appearance in the cinema were in great demand, especially since McGrory was also a very gifted actor. The directors were happy to shoot him, however, always in the form of terrible creatures: an ogre, a Bigfoot, an alien, a demon and a giant, of course. The first role in which the unique actor did not frighten the viewer, but evoked sympathy, was the giant Karl in the movie Big Fish. The duet with Ewan McGregor turned out to be incredibly successful, and in the future, more and more interesting and deeper roles began to be offered to him. The image of a kind and sad giant for an unusual actor was very close. Everyone who knew him tells that he was a kind and sincere person. Usually, the appearance of a strange giant caused surprise and even fright, but after talking with him, people felt trust within a few minutes. He was an excellent conversationalist, knew how to listen and give good advice. Gradually, creatively, McGrory began to emerge from the images of hellish creatures. In 2005, the actor was engaged in the filming of the film "Andre: Heart of a Giant", where he was supposed to play an athlete, but he could not complete this role.

Giant actor Matthew McGrory
Giant actor Matthew McGrory

Unfortunately, the disease gigantism, in addition to the obvious inconveniences, is usually also a "deferred sentence." People suffering from enormous growth also receive a whole "bunch" of concomitant diseases associated with improper metabolism and pathologies of the cardiovascular system. Matthew put up with headaches, joint problems and fatigue all his life. Usually, such patients also suffer from many serious illnesses, so they rarely live to old age.

Matthew McGrory passed away at the age of 32. On August 9, 2005, he suffered a heart failure and the doctors were unable to do anything. Released after his death, the film "Cast out by the Devil" was dedicated to the memory of the giant actor, whom all colleagues loved very much.

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