Canine Actor Begs For Awards Recognition
Image Source: IGN
The breakout star of this year’s horror hit, Good Boy, received rave reviews for his amazing performance as a helpless canine companion who watched his human go through a terrible ordeal. The movie earned IFC’s second biggest weekend opening, with over $2.2 million collected, to go along with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90% from 135 reviews. The film was made over three years on a tight budget and with a lot of patience from director Ben Leonberg and his dog, Indy. Their hard work was worth it, as Indy has been showered with love and praise from fans, who all agree that he has given the best performance by a non-human actor in a movie this year. Now, Indy wants the Academy to recognize him and all other animal performers just like human actors. Variety obtained an open letter distributed by IFC, which Indy has addressed to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, asking for award recognition of his performance.
Indy says, “Despite my critically acclaimed role in the recent film ‘Good Boy,’ — I have been deemed ineligible for the Best Actor category.” He adds that the lack of recognition makes him feel that “Apparently, I am not a good enough boy for you.” Indy makes several great points in his letter by citing the greatest animal performances in Hollywood over the years, including the whale in Free Willy and Babe the pig from the movie Babe. He asks, “How many great performances must go overlooked before the Academy throws us a bone?”
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Image Source: People.com
While it’s undeniable that countless animal actors have stolen hearts and scenes over the years with their unforgettable performances, Indy’s situation stands out because Good Boy uniquely tells its story entirely from the dog’s perspective, setting it apart from other films featuring animal actors. There are hardly any human actors in the movie, and even the ones that make an appearance aren’t fully shown. Fans never see Indy’s owner’s complete face, so his expressions are unknown to them. This adds to the realism of seeing a movie through an animal’s eyes, as his view is slightly obstructed due to his height.
Despite that, it’s Todd’s voice that Indy listens to and follows. Even if we can’t see Todd’s expressions, we see all of Indy’s, and he gives a moving and emotive performance by an animal. Good Boy should open the door to more movies that tell a story from a non-human perspective. Meanwhile, Indy signs off this letter with, “Heartfelt hope, deepest respect, and puppy dog eyes” and his paw print. Hopefully, this letter will change things for animal performers and they’ll be given the recognition they deserve by the Academy, as they are just as important to the movies they’re in as anyone else.
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