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Indy the Dog Is First Animal to Win a Major Acting Prize With Astra Horror/Thriller Award

The Good Boy star’s win has prompted debate over honoring an animal in a human acting category.

Overview

  • Indy won Best Performance in a Horror or Thriller at the 9th Astra Film Awards on Jan. 9 in Los Angeles, marking the first time an animal has received a major film acting award.
  • The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever topped a field that included Ethan Hawke, Alison Brie, Sophie Thatcher, Sally Hawkins, and Alfie Williams.
  • Director Ben Leonberg accepted via pre-recorded video with Indy, noting the dog "does not totally understand he was in" the movie.
  • Good Boy is told from the dog’s perspective and was crafted without CGI using trainer cues, editing, and a lengthy shoot of more than 400 days over three years.
  • Reaction online has been sharply split, with some calling the result disrespectful to human nominees and others dismissing criticism or labeling the decision a publicity grab.