Star of ‘Free Willy’ pleads for help to save orcas from closed park

By Michael Lee Simpson

"Free Willy" star Jason James Richter is imploring French authorities to urgently relocate two captive orcas from a closed marine park.

The whales remain in tanks at Marineland Antibes near Cannes, in France, despite a 2021 ban requiring relocation by 2026.

TideBreakers activists say unsafe conditions and the health issue of one killer whale - Wikie - mean an urgent transfer is critical.

With time running out, they say, pressure is mounting on President Emmanuel Macron to approve a move before the whales face possible death or euthanasia.

The park closed permanently in January 2025 due to declining attendance and increased regulation of animal captivity in France, reports say.

Richter, who played Jesse, who bonds with and frees an orca in the 1993 blockbuster, delivered a sobering reality check in a recent TideBreakers video.

“I’m famous for starring in the movie about a captive orca desperate to be free,” said Richter, from Medford, Oregon.

“But in reality, captive-born killer whales cannot simply be released into the wild. They need dedicated rehabilitation and acclimatization to have any chance of survival."

He added: "They simply wouldn’t survive in the open ocean on their own right now.”

The 46-year-old actor urged public action for the mother-son duo at Marineland Antibes, a once-popular attraction near Cannes shut down in January 2025.

“Please join me in speaking up for killer whales Wikie and Keijo,” he said. “There is not much time left, they cannot stay where they are for much longer. Make your voice heard. Please let’s save these whales.”

Wikie, 24, and her 13-year-old son Keijo remain confined in deteriorating tanks.

Activists say crumbling infrastructure, algae-choked pools, Wikie’s respiratory illness, and frequent trespassers are dire threats.

France’s 2021 law bans cetacean captivity, mandating relocation by December 2026, but disputes over destinations have stalled progress.

Jana Richardson, co-founder of animal-welfare group TideBreakers, insisted the whales receive dedicated care despite the closure and rejected neglect accusations.

"We've seen this before — orcas dying in compromised, toxic tanks while being used as fundraising tools by other NGOs proposing orca sanctuaries. Sanctuaries that they don't deliver,” Richardson said.

“To this day — no orca sanctuaries exist, even after years of active fundraising. Two other orcas Kiska and Tokitae, were both promised a better life, and both died waiting for one."

She added: "We don't want the same fate for Wikie and Keijo. They deserve to live and that means they have to be moved out of Marineland Antibes."

TideBreakers co-founder Marketa Schusterova amplified the urgency, framing the crisis as a countdown.

“Wikie and Keijo are literally running out of time,” Schusterova said.

“The only realistic options currently left are premature death due to the unsafe tank conditions they are presently held in at Marineland Antibes, or the approval of conditional permits allowing their transfer and relocation to another facility equipped to care for captive orcas, at least until sanctuaries are built."

As tanks degrade and Wikie weakens, pressure mounts on President Emmanuel Macron to authorize a transfer before deadlines collide.

Hollywood voices like Corey Feldman and William Shatner have echoed the call, but Richardson cautioned against romanticized solutions.

"In an ideal world, we'd love to see Wikie and Keijo in an orca sanctuary. But we have to be realistic — none presently exist, and there won't be one any time soon,” Richardson said.

“The recent report on Marineland Antibes and the tank these killer whales are held in, is clear - this tank could collapse at any moment. They need to be transferred to another park immediately, if they are to have any hope of reaching a sanctuary one day."

Schusterova added: “The only other option, which is the worst, is that the owners of Wikie and Keijo, may consider euthanizing them. Which is too awful to contemplate.”

Marineland Antibes did not immediately respond to request for comment.