Dogs in film work just as hard as the humans they act alongside, yet a dog has never won an Academy Award. Some have come close, however, and the Palm Dog Award at the Cannes Film Festival is just one of the awards that honor canine achievement in film.
Action films put a strain on canine performers, requiring them to do complex stunts that put them and their handlers at risk. The best performers will have fans rooting for them as they complete their action scenes with eagerness and dedication, acting as best they can and performing incredible feats that humans could never achieve.
10 Frank - Men In Black (1997)
This film franchise follows a covert organization that investigates alien activity on Earth. Frank the pug is an alien (Remoolian) in disguise, wearing a little suit and tie to fit in with the other Men in Black.
Frank was played by a pug named Mushu. Mushu put up with being dressed in his little suit, as well as a hoodie that says "I heart NY", and trots around at the main characters' feet as if he owns the place. A brilliantly funny character voiced by Tim Blaney, it is no wonder that this tiny dog is a fan-favorite character.
9 Rin Tin Tin - Where The North Begins (1923)
This film was the starring debut of perhaps the most famous canine actor in Hollywood, Rin Tin Tin. Described as almost human, this dog was extremely popular with audiences and crew members, eager to act, and well trained. Rin Tin Tin earned a lot of money for the studio that owned him, Warner Bros., and the film Where the North Begins (1923) saved the studio from bankruptcy.
Rin Tin Tin even earned a key to the city of New York, receiving it from the Mayor in a ceremony. This dog never received an Oscar but did earn a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
8 Togo - Togo (2019)
Willem Dafoe stars in this film about a sled dog transporting medicine across treacherous ice and snow in 1925. Togo the sled dog is played by Diesel, who sells the emotion of the story and danger of each scene through his expressive eyes and eagerness to work.
The film is based on a true story about a real team of dogs and their musher. Diesel is a Siberian Husky, and is a descendent of the real Togo, meaning that he was perfectly chosen for the main role.
7 Jack - The Artist (2011)
While this film is not an action film, Jack the canine actor stars in several action scenes for fake films within the Hollywood setting, performs stunts to save his owner from a house fire, and even dances on stage in front of an audience.
Jack is played by Uggie, a Jack Russell terrier. A petition was launched after the release of the film called "Consider Uggie" to get this dog an Academy Award but to no avail. However, Uggie was honored with a Palm Dog Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
6 Max - Max (2015)
Max is an army dog that suffers from PTSD and relocates to Texas to adapt to civilian life. Max is played by Carlos, a Belgian Malinois that learned lots of tricks to be able to perform in the film, such as attacking on command and tracking.
Carlos is very well suited to the role, as he is well-trained and conveys the difficulties that must accompany a change of scenery after going through a traumatic event.
5 Brandy - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
This Quentin Tarantino film follows an actor and his stunt double as they attempt to get work in Hollywood and deal with the rapidly changing film industry of their time. The stunt double, Cliff, owns Brandy, played by a pit bull called Sayuri.
Brandy puts up with Cliff's antics throughout the film, but the action-filled climax of this film really showcases Sayuri's acting chops, as she is extremely well-trained and attacks her enemies on command.
4 Sam - I Am Legend (2007)
After a virus has wiped out humanity, Robert Neville is the last man on Earth, using his time to develop a cure for the virus. Neville's dog Sam was played by two dogs, Abbey and Kona, but Sam is arguably the most memorable part of the film, assisting Neville in various exploits.
Both Abbey and Kona are perfectly cast for this film, their intensity and loyalty to Neville ramping up to their final moments and making their death one of the most tear-jerking moments of the film.
3 Alpha - Alpha (2018)
A hunter is injured during a hunt, befriends an injured wolf, and attempts to reach home with the wolf, Alpha, at his side. Alpha is played by Chuck, a Czechoslovakian wolfdog. Chuck portrays the wolf perfectly, at first mistrustful of main character Keda but learns to love him.
A scene that really showcases Chuck's ability is the moment when he attempts to steal food from Keda but Keda asserts dominance, showing how he is training Alpha. Chuck looks genuinely angry and disappointed that he cannot get the food, and he bares his teeth, playing the part of a wild wolf perfectly.
2 Sofia's Dogs - John Wick 3 (2019)
The assassin John Wick attempts to evade and kill the army of bounty hunters that want to kill him for a massive ransom. Wick calls in help from Sofia, an ex-assassin played by Halle Berry, who owns two very well-trained Belgian Malinois dogs that help kill the enemy assassins.
The dogs are unnamed in the film but were played by five dogs, Santana, Tai, Sam 7, Boyca, and Ikar. These dogs were trained by Halle Berry herself, and perform incredible stunts in the film, taking down enemies with style and ease.
1 Sled Dog - The Thing (1982)
A group of American researchers in Antarctica are terrorized by the Thing, a parasitic alien that can transform its shape into those it kills. The Thing first appears as a sled dog, played by Jed, a wolfdog that also appeared in White Fang (1991).
One of the freakiest moments in this movie is the Dog-Thing transformation, but Jed's performance before the transformation really sells that he is an unnatural creature in this world. Jed moves in an unnerving manner, pacing slowly around the Antarctic base. His slow, methodical movements are incredible to watch, as puts the audience on edge whenever he steps on screen.
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June 15, 2021 at 12:00AM
