The ‘Shrek 2’ Scene Inspired By O.J. Simpson’s Infamous Car Chase You May Have Missed

O.J. Simpson's infamous Ford Bronco car chase is one of the most talked-about events to date, but did you know it influenced a scene in the 2004 film 'Shrek 2?'

As you know, on June 17, 1994, O.J. Simpson was followed by cop cars for nearly two hours as he was driven in a white Ford Bronco by his friend. The former NFL player sat in the back of the car, with a gun to his head.

The chase ended at Simpson's home, where he was taken into custody.

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On June 17, 1994, Simpson was scheduled to turn himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department following the double homicide of his ex-wife and her friend. Instead, he fled in a white Ford Bronco driven by his friend, Al Cowlings, leading to a low-speed chase, an event that was broadcast live on television.

Simpson had a gun to his head in the backseat and spoke to police officers periodically throughout the chase. Eventually, Cowlings drove the Ford Bronco to Simpson's home in Brentwood, where Simpson surrendered to the police.

But many people often forget that this infamous event was referenced in the popular DreamWorks film, 'Shrek 2.'

During a scene in 'Shrek 2,' viewers watch the Gingerbread Man sitting in his home watching television. "Tonight on 'Knights,' we got a white bronco heading East into the forest," the news anchor is heard saying on the television as the news shows Shrek, in human form, riding Donkey, who has turned into a white horse, in the woods as police sirens blare.

Shrek and Donkey are eventually apprehended by several men in armor with their guns drawn. Donkey is heard yelling, "police brutality, police brutality," as they hold him down.

They end up in custody. This is, obviously, a reference to the infamous O.J. Simpson chase.

While many claim Simpson will go to Hell, others focus on the 'Shrek 2' scene.

One X user wrote, "O.J. Simpson's only good contribution to the world was giving us this funny reference in 'Shrek 2.'"

Another said, "Wow, O.J. Simpson has passed, and I was just watching Shrek 2 nonstop and would laugh a lot at the scene based on him the past week."

A third chimed in, "My best O.J. Simpson memory was watching 'Shrek 2' in the theaters and having my mom lean over to explain the joke about the White Bronco."

CNN obtained a transcript of the phone calls placed between Detective Tom Lange and O.J. Simpson as he tried to talk the former NFL player into surrendering.

Simpson is heard asking Lange to let him get to his house, which Lange agreed to, but first, he wanted Simpson to throw the gun that he was holding to his head out of the window. "We're going to do that. Just throw the gun out the window," Lange tells Simpson, who responds with, "I can't do that."

"We're not going to bother you. We're going to let you go up [to your house]," Lange told the former NFL player as the car chase continued. "Just throw [the gun] out the window. Please. You're scaring everybody."

Later in the phone call, Lange tells Simpson, "Don't do this. [Your kids] love you. Don't do it, O.J. It's going to work itself out. It's going to work. It's going to work. You're listening to me, I know you are, and you're thinking about your kids right now, aren't you? Aren't you?"

As you may know, O.J. Simpson's claim to fame was as a running back in the NFL, where he spent most of his career with the Buffalo Bills. He was nicknamed 'The Juice' for his speed and agility.

O.J. Simpson passed away on April 10, 2024, after battling prostate cancer.