In the early 1970s, when the WWE (then known as the WWWF or WWF) was still young, André the Giant was one of its headlining acts. But over time, André René Roussimoff also earned a name for himself appearing in films and rubbing elbows with many greats in Hollywood, like many other wrestler-to-actor pros. ('The Princess Bride' was his most famous project)
Sadly, André passed away in 1993 at the age of 46, leaving one heir behind. His daughter Robin has never made many headlines of her own, but she has carried on parts of her father's legacy.
Who Is André the Giant's Daughter?
André Roussimoff's daughter is Robin Christensen-Roussimoff, and she is André's only surviving heir. But who did André the Giant have a baby with? Robin's mother is Jean Christensen, but she's not necessarily a well-known name.
Christensen worked in wrestling, but she was behind the scenes in public relations. The story goes that André didn't initially admit that he was the father of Jean's baby, and in fact didn't have a relationship with Robin at all.
One reason for that may have been the nature of Roussimoff's career. After all, he started out working rotating gigs all over the world. Part of the wrestler's appeal was that tickets were limited to his shows, and promoters knew they would have a packed house if they kept their star exclusive.
It also meant that at one time in the '70s and '80s, André was "believed to be the highest paid pro wrestler in the world." Unfortunately for Robin, that meant little time with her father during his lifetime, but a sizable inheritance upon his passing.
Is Big Show André The Giant's Son?
For a time, the wrestler known as Big Show was marketed as the son of the Giant. It was a smart branding move, especially because Big Show (Paul Donald Wight II) had a condition similar to that of André.
Wight, however, eventually underwent a procedure to stop his excessive growth, something that André never wanted to do. But as far as the two being related? That was purely a marketing angle for the similarly huge Wight. Though the gimmick later changed for Big Show, it was a good entry to the ring.
How Much Money Did André The Giant Leave His Daughter?
Though André's earnings throughout his career varied somewhat, he did amass an impressive level of wealth by the time he passed away. Sources suggest that he was worth about $10 million upon his passing.
His will stipulated that he wanted to be cremated, and that his daughter Robin should receive all of his estate. Therefore, Robin inherited somewhere around $10 million from her absentee father. It probably wasn't much of a consolation to his now-adult daughter, seeing as she never got to know her dad.
Ages ago, in a rare interview, Robin explained that she'd seen her father in the ring a few times, and then twice in court.
Friends of André's said that it "broke his heart" that he couldn't spend time with Robin, due to logistics and his problems with his ex-girlfriend. And maybe that's why he left all of his life's earnings in his daughter's name.
Did André The Giant Know His Daughter?
Though the story sounds as if André's ex tried to keep him from his daughter, it turns out that wasn't really the case. Though Jean Christensen passed away in 2008, Robin later explained that her mother never prevented her from seeing her dad.
In fact, André was the one who wanted to avoid publicity, while also making attempts to get his daughter to visit and get to know him. But as Robin explained, when it came down to flying across the country to visit her dad (in a place she'd never been) at age ten, she turned down the chance.
Still, she noted, her parents talked on the phone frequently, and she was able to chat with her dad. He also paid child support and was never unreachable to either of them. That is, until he passed away.
Robin heard the news by voice message, after arriving home from school one day. André was only 48 years old when he passed away, in France, where he was attending services for his recently deceased father.
Devastated by the news, Robin later spent time tracking down her father's known associates to learn more about him. Although, she has said she doesn't really watch his work, whether acting or wrestling, because it's difficult to do so.
What Is André The Giant's Daughter Doing Now?
Though André's relationship with his daughter likely wasn't what either of them wanted, he did include her in his will, to the extent that she has the rights to his image today.
She continues to earn royalties from all of his work, and she gets the final determination when it comes to using his likeness in any capacity. Robin has worked on a film about her father, with another biopic apparently in the works.