The 2024 Oscars revealed Messi, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall who caught attention with his charisma and cuteness!
Actor Messi was not only seen with a bow tie, but was also caught applauding and happy at the most anticipated ceremony of the year. The film “Anatomy of a Fall”, in Portuguese, was nominated in several categories, including Best Film.
But the one who really stole the attention was Messi. He’s seven years old and he’s a great actor! He was awarded a “Palma Canina” (Palm Dog) at Cannes, which is an unofficial trophy given to animals that participate in films and series.
Messi, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall played Snoop, Daniel’s guide dog, played by actor Milo Machado-Graner. In the film, Daniel is a visually impaired teenager whose mother is accused of murder.
What was training like for Messi, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall?
To participate in the film, Messi, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall, had to be trained by owner Laura Martin Contini. As part of his training, he even recorded some advertisements for the Oscars.
Messi also had the help of another coach, Martin Contini. For the crucial poisoning scene, Martin Contini would have taught again basic commands, such as “lie down, pretend to be dead”, and gradually added others, such as “don’t react”.
For the American magazine Variety, Messi’s owner, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall, revealed that they had to work for a long time to get him to act correctly.
“We had to make him stand still. Much of Messi’s preparation needed to be intensified in the last few months, where he needed to get used to all the people on the recording sets”, commented Laura Martin Contini, Messi’s guardian, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall.
Another part of Messi’s training was alongside the human actors, all so that he truly looked like the family dog.
Laura is a professional dog trainer in Paris, where the family currently lives. She adopted Messi from a neighbor when the star was still a puppy. The name Messi was given to the puppy by Laura’s children, in honor of the world and Argentine football legend.
What is the breed of Messi, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall?
Messi’s race is considered one of the most intelligent in the world. To get “into character”, the dog underwent training to pretend to be dead and move everyone.
Border Collies are capable of learning not only these commands, but many others. The breed occupies first place in the ranking of canine intelligence made by professor Stanley Coren. You can read the article in full by clicking here !
To learn everything about Messi’s breed, the Border Collie from Anatomy of a Fall, read this article !
The breed is so charming that not even Ryan Gosling, self-confessed dog person , could resist the charm of his fellow actor. See below their meeting during the Oscars.
