Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jean Christensen |
| Nationality | American (reported Danish family roots) |
| Birth date | Not confirmed; sources disagree |
| Profession | Former model and wrestling public relations professional |
| Industry | Professional wrestling (WWE, then known as the WWF) |
| Best known for | Being the mother of Robin Christensen-Roussimoff and having a relationship with André the Giant |
| Partner | André René Roussimoff (André the Giant), 1946-1993 |
| Relationship start | Early to mid 1970s |
| Marital status with André | Never married, despite many online claims |
| Child | Robin Christensen-Roussimoff (born 1979) |
| Where Robin grew up | Seattle, Washington, with her mother |
| Notable media appearance | A Current Affair, shortly before André’s death |
| André’s death | January 28, 1993, in Paris, France |
| Jean’s passing | 2008, according to several biographical accounts |
| Public profile | Very private |
Who Is Jean Christensen?
Jean Christensen is an American woman who worked as a model and later in public relations for professional wrestling. Most people search her name because of her link to André the Giant, one of the most famous wrestlers and film actors of the twentieth century. She never sought fame herself, and that is one reason so little detailed information about her exists today.
Her name is common, so search results can be confusing. There are several people called Jean Christensen in film and television databases, and there are also other well-known people with the surname Christensen, such as the supermodel Helena Christensen. The Jean Christensen discussed in this article is the one connected to André the Giant and to their daughter, Robin.
Early Life and Background
Details about Jean’s childhood are limited. She was born in the United States, and some biographies mention Minnesota and a Danish family background. Because she lived a private life and died before online biographies became so common, the specific details of her upbringing, education, and family are not well documented. Birth dates given by different websites do not agree with each other, so it is safest to treat any exact date as unconfirmed.
What is clear is that she started out in modeling in the early 1970s. That work gave her experience in dealing with cameras, image, and presentation, which likely helped when she later moved into the entertainment side of professional wrestling.
Her Career in Wrestling Public Relations
Jean later worked behind the scenes in the wrestling business, handling public relations at a time when very few women held those roles. Public relations in wrestling meant helping to manage how performers were presented to the media and the public, and it was fast-paced, busy work. She was not a wrestler herself, but she was close enough to the industry to meet many of its stars.
Several biographies describe her employer as WWE, which was called the World Wrestling Federation in that era. Since the company only took the WWE name later, you will often see both names used for the same organization. Her role gave her a front-row view of a business that was growing quickly, and it brought her into contact with André the Giant.
How She Met André the Giant
Jean and André met in the early to mid 1970s, through the wrestling world. André was already becoming an international star, traveling constantly between Europe, Japan, Canada, and the United States. Jean reportedly said in later interviews that she did not feel an instant spark when they first met. However, she did feel comfortable around him, partly because she was a tall woman herself and André was one of the few men who made her feel small.
Their relationship developed over time, but it was never a conventional partnership. André’s career kept him on the road for most of the year, which made it hard to build a settled home life. Accounts of the relationship describe it as brief and later strained, not as a long, stable romance.
Was Jean Christensen Married to André the Giant?
This is the most common question about her, and the answer is no. Many websites call her André the Giant’s wife, but André never married. The two never had a registered marriage, and they were a couple in the sense of a relationship, not a legal union. Jean and André’s daughter, Robin, has sometimes referred to her mother as André’s wife in casual conversation, which may have added to the confusion, but the legal fact remains that they were not married.
The mix-up spread because “wife” is a simple label that search engines and quick biographies repeat. When you see a claim like this, it helps to check whether it comes from a first-hand account or is simply copied from other websites.
The Birth of Robin Christensen-Roussimoff
Jean and André had one child, a daughter named Robin Christensen-Roussimoff, born in 1979. Jean has said that she believed André could not have children, because she had been told he was sterile. When she became pregnant, the situation became complicated, and medical testing was used to confirm that André was Robin’s father.
Robin was born while her mother was living in France, but she grew up in the United States, in Seattle, with her mother. André remained a distant figure in her life. Robin has said in interviews that she saw him only about five times as a child, and that some of those meetings took place in a wrestling ring or a courtroom instead of at home.
The Court Battles Over Support
After Robin’s birth, the relationship between Jean and André broke down. Jean took legal steps to make sure André contributed to the cost of raising their daughter, which led to a long and difficult dispute. Reports say this was one of the reasons father and daughter saw each other so rarely. It was also a source of tension that lasted for years.
Shortly before André died, Jean and Robin appeared together on the American television program A Current Affair to speak about the strained relationship. In that interview, Jean spoke openly about meeting André and about their brief romance. This is one of the few times she spoke publicly about her private life.
Raising Robin
Jean raised Robin mostly on her own, later with a stepfather in the picture. She chose not to let her daughter watch André’s wrestling matches while she was growing up. Robin has explained that her mother wanted her to form her own opinion of her father instead of having the media shape her view of him. As a result, Robin has said she thought of him as “dad” instead of as the larger-than-life character seen on television.
This careful approach shows how Jean protected her daughter from the pressures of fame. It also helps explain why Robin later felt comfortable telling her father’s story on her own terms.
André the Giant’s Death and Its Impact
André the Giant died in Paris on January 28, 1993, at the age of 46. According to Robin, she and her mother were so distant from his daily life that they learned of his death through an answering machine message. Jean was in tears, while Robin has described having a mix of complicated emotions and needing time away from home to think.
André left a trust that placed the rights to his name and likeness in Robin’s hands, which means she receives income when his image is used. In later years she took an active role in protecting his legacy, including consulting on projects about his life.
Later Life and Passing
Jean lived quietly after these events. She passed away in 2008, according to several biographical accounts. Her daughter has continued to speak about her father’s legacy at fan events and in interviews, and in doing so she has also kept her mother’s part of the story alive.
Why People Still Search for Jean Christensen
Interest in Jean Christensen continues because André the Giant remains a cultural icon. He is remembered for his wrestling career and for playing Fezzik in the film The Princess Bride. Fans who want to understand the man behind the character naturally become curious about the people closest to him, and Jean is one of the most important of them.
Her story also reflects a wider theme: many people in the background of famous lives do not get their own biography. Jean was more than a name attached to someone else’s fame. She was a working woman in a male-dominated industry and a mother who worked hard to raise her child with independence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Jean Christensen André the Giant’s wife?
No. They had a relationship and a daughter, but they never married.
Did Jean Christensen and André the Giant have children?
Yes. They had one child, Robin Christensen-Roussimoff, born in 1979.
What did Jean Christensen do for a living?
She worked as a model in the early 1970s and later in public relations within the wrestling industry.
When did Jean Christensen die?
Multiple biographical accounts report that she passed away in 2008.
Is she the same person as the Jean Christensen listed on film websites?
Not necessarily. Several people share this name, so it is best to confirm details before assuming they are the same person.
Disclaimer
This article is written for general information only. Jean Christensen lived a private life, and many biographical details, including her exact birth date and early years, are not consistently documented, so some information may be incomplete or open to correction. Facts included here are limited to those that appear reliably across multiple accounts, and anything uncertain has been stated as such. This article is not affiliated with Jean Christensen, her family, or anyone connected to André the Giant.
I’m Muhammad Ubaid, founder of YBR Magazine. I research and write detailed guides on America’s National Parks — covering entry fees, permits, best times to visit, and planning tips — using official NPS sources and up-to-date information.
