Andre The Giant HBO Documentary: 14 Things We Learned
Vince reveals his human side.
The much-hyped HBO documentary about the life and times of WWE legend Andre the Giant has finally aired, and while its scant 85-minute runtime doesn't feel nearly long enough to truly do the superstar justice, it was nevertheless a highly illuminating, unexpectedly emotional film all the same.
Going all the way back to Andre's childhood, before regaling the audience with the Giant's king-sized party lifestyle and surprisingly goofy sense of humour, to his devastating final years as his body began to betray him, it's an easy recommendation whether you're a wrestling fan or not.
As a testament and tribute to an immense yet tragically doomed entertainer, it's a fascinating warts-and-all depiction that celebrates the man's accomplishments without ever feeling like a foaming, family-approved hagiography.
These 14 moments were by far the most intriguing, hilarious and upsetting morsels revealed by the doc, which has already earned strong plaudits from both critics and wrestling fans alike. If you're remotely interested in the man, you can't miss it...
14. He Was "Normal" Until His Mid-Teens
There are lot of stories about Andre from his youth onward, some of them true and others not, but his two brothers Antoine and Jacques confirmed here that Andre was in fact a "normal" child until around the age of 15 or 16, where he began to show a noticeable increase in size compared to other kids.
It's quite fascinating seeing baby pictures of young Andre and then seeing what an absolute behemoth he became. Who could've ever seen it coming?
Least of all was Andre's mother, who was apparently - and understandably - concerned that her son would continue to grow indefinitely. Sadly, she ended up outliving him by four years.