Viral Good Boy Canine Star Indy Wins Award For Stunning Horror Performance

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Last year, the movie Good Boy gained a lot of attention for telling a horror story from a dog’s point of view. The film, directed by Ben Leonberg, stars his own dog, Indy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. After its first trailer sparked concerns about Indy’s well-being, Good Boy became incredibly popular and went on to become one of the most successful films ever released on the Shudder streaming service.

Indy, the dog actor, recently received a special award for his impressive performance. He won an Astra Film Award for Best Performance in a Horror or Thriller – an honor usually given to human actors. Indy beat out well-known actors like Alison Brie, Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke, and Sophie Thatcher to win the prize.

I love Indiana Jones, and I always appreciate how much effort goes into making these movies. But filming with Indy is apparently really tricky! According to Leonberg, he can only film for a few hours each day, which means the whole production takes way longer than a typical movie. It’s a testament to everyone’s dedication, honestly.

The director explained they only filmed for one to three hours each day, and the entire process took over three years and more than 400 days. While the actor could follow directions, many scenes were carefully planned to create a believable performance.

Leonberg explained that a compelling performance isn’t just about the actor, but also a collaboration between the performer, the audience, and the filmmaking itself. The audience tends to project their own emotions onto the character. Filmmaking techniques, like carefully chosen shots, can show things from the character’s perspective. Even if the actor appears neutral, the audience might interpret fear or other feelings, because they are experiencing those emotions while watching.

Earlier this year, a writer known as “Indy” sent a letter to the Academy Awards, arguing that they should acknowledge the significant talents of dogs in film. The letter pointed out that animal actors, in general, are often overlooked during awards season, not receiving credit for their performances and essentially being ignored by the Academy.

I’m really hoping people will recognize Indy’s talent, and it’s great to see him getting awards like the Astra and the special “Howl of Fame” award at SXSW. Both he and Leonberg clearly poured their hearts into Good Boy, and these awards show that effort is being noticed. It really made an impact, and I’m excited for what comes next!

Good Boy is available to stream on Shudder and AMC+.

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2026-01-11 22:37