High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Shrek is a fictional ogre character created by American Author, William Steig and adapted by Dreamworks Animation. He is the main protagonist of the book and the movies. The name "Shrek" is derived from the German and Yiddish word "Schreck"/"Shreck", literally meaning "Fear" or "Terror." Shrek is voiced by Mike Myers, although was planned to be voiced by Chris Farley before his death in 1997, and played by Brian d`Arcy James in the musical.