We have all heard the line, “Sorry, you cannot enter the establishment without wearing a tie.” And that was what Messi the sheepdog just did when he recently attended a formal occasion. On March 11, 2024, the “96th Academy Awards” was held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California. One of the guests stood out and immediately captured the hearts of other attendees. It was Messi the Border Collie, a supporting non-human actor in the movie Anatomy of a Fall. He wore a bowtie around his neck for the formal event and was given his own seat at the theater near the stage.
Additionally, Messi was seen clapping his paws after Best Supporting Actor Robert Downey, Jr. gave his acceptance speech onstage, which surprised fellow Best Supporting Actor nominee Ryan Gosling. The canine guest was so well-behaved that he was awarded his own seat at the venue alongside Laura Martin, Messi’s trainer and owner. He could be seen enjoying the ceremonies and performances of the event and is quietly perched on his seat the whole evening.
Sharp-eyed viewers noticed that the dog paws seemed to be “unrealistic”. When behind-the-scenes footage was revealed, the scene where Messi was seen clapping his paws was actually pre-recorded but was released after the Best Supporting Actor segment. A production staff member was holding fake dog paws that made Messi appear to be clapping during the event. Many viewers praised the Oscars for being really creative. After all, Messi plays a significant role in the Best Picture-nominated French drama movie, and his contribution will always be remembered.
“The big moment was with Billie Eilish, who bonded with Messi for almost 10 minutes,” said Laura Martin. “They were hugging and petting, and they really had a vibe. Then Bradley Cooper bumped into him in the hallway. The dog went right to him, so they also had a connection.”
Netizens who have watched the Oscars online left reactions and comments on Messi’s distinguished appearance and good behavior, saying:
“Messi is the real star of the Oscars tonight.”
“The best moment at the Oscars.”
“I really want to see Messi again in more performances!”
Messi’s superb performance as Snoop in Anatomy of a Fall won him the Palm Dog Award in 2023. Each year, the event awards dogs with outstanding performances in movies. 7-year-old Messi has unlimited acting potential, especially in the scene where his character, Snoop, keeled over after being poisoned. Trainer Laura recalled that Messi had to train for 2 months straight.
“Even the simplest things take a lot of work,” she revealed. “It had to happen in steps. First, the simple laying down and having his head kind of immobile. I started there, and then we worked on lifting the head and just letting it fall back without resistance.”
Good job, and congratulations, Messi the Border Collie!
Images credits: © milkavoy @allisonargented/Twitter and Boxoffice/YouTube
YouTube Video credits: © Boxoffice and Celebrity Gossip Central
