Messi the dog had a great seat Sunday at the 96th Academy Awards, and fans were loving it.
Messi's a good boy, and a fan favorite, too!
The gorgeous 7-year-old border collie from Anatomy of a Fall scored a great seat Sunday at the 2024 Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where he (or more like someone) made sure he clapped at appropriate times and smiled throughout the night.
Video circulating on social media showed Messi clapping while panting and eyes laser focused on the stage. The person who posted the video on X tweeted, "this is the best thing i’ve ever seen."
Messi, of course, is the beloved canine that played a key role in Justine Triet's film, which is nominated for Best Picture.
That Messi stole the show is nothing new.
Messi's been doing exactly that throughout awards season. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Ryan Gosling and others fawned over the pooch at the Oscars nominees luncheon earlier this month.
"The big moment was with Billie Eilish, who bonded with Messi for almost 10 minutes," said Laura Martin, Messi's trainer and dog mom. "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."
According to IndieWire, Messi had to train for two months for his scene-stealing role. The rigorous audition process included seven or eight meetings, the outlet reported.
"He gets calls now," Martin added, "Because now he is a star."
The 2024 Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, airs live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10, at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET on ABC. Follow along at ETonline.com for full Oscars coverage, including red carpet arrivals, the complete winners list and more.
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