The donkey voiced by Eddie Murphy in “Shrek” is named Donkey. He is a talking donkey who becomes Shrek’s loyal sidekick and closest friend after helping the ogre rescue Princess Fiona from Duloc’s dragon-guarded tower.
Donkey is one of the film’s main sources of comedy, but he is more than comic relief. His constant conversation contrasts with Shrek’s withdrawn personality, gradually encouraging Shrek to trust others and accept friendship. Donkey’s optimism and emotional directness also help move Shrek and Fiona’s relationship forward.
The character originated in William Steig’s 1990 picture book “Shrek!”, which inspired the DreamWorks film released in 2001. Eddie Murphy supplied Donkey’s English voice, while Mike Myers voiced Shrek and Cameron Diaz voiced Fiona. The character’s simple name is sometimes confused with the names of other Shrek characters, especially Puss in Boots or the Gingerbread Man, but those are separate characters. Donkey later marries Dragon and becomes the father of hybrid “dronkeys.”