In a historic move this awards season, Indy, the canine star of the horror film "Good Boy," has penned an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, advocating for the recognition of animal actors at the Oscars. Distributed by indie studio IFC, the letter marks an unprecedented campaign to include non-human performers in the Academy's prestigious acting categories.
The letter, obtained by Variety, strikes a playful yet purposeful tone, addressing the long-standing oversight of animal performances in Hollywood. "Despite my critically acclaimed role in the recent film 'Good Boy' — I have been deemed ineligible for the Best Actor category," Indy writes. "Apparently, I am not a good enough boy for you".
Indy's appeal references iconic animal performances that have contributed significantly to cinematic history, yet remain unacknowledged by the Academy. These include Jed the wolf-dog in "White Fang," the whale in "Free Willy," and the pig in "Babe," the latter of which received a Best Picture nomination. "How many great performances must go overlooked before the Academy throws us a bone?" Indy poignantly asks.
The letter also highlights the disparity in protections and recognition between human and animal actors. "You have rules to protect my human co-stars, but no such rules exist to recognize the rich and complex contribution of our canine thespians," Indy states.
"Good Boy" has garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success, opening with $2.2 million and becoming IFC's second-best debut since "Late Night with the Devil" in 2024. The film's trailer and poster went viral, amassing over 100 million views online, prompting IFC to expand its release nationwide. Critics have lauded Indy's performance, with IndieWire calling him "one of the most emotive actors of his generation – regardless of species".
Indy's letter concludes with a direct appeal to the Academy: "We ask that you stop lifting your leg on the contribution of myself and the many great animal actors whose work continues to go unrecognized". The letter closes with "heartfelt hope, deepest respect, and puppy dog eyes," followed by Indy's signature paw print.
The Academy has yet to respond to Indy's request. However, the campaign has already sparked a significant conversation about how Hollywood recognizes non-human performers. Whether this will translate into tangible change remains to be seen, but Indy's efforts have undoubtedly brought attention to the often-overlooked contributions of animal actors in film. Indy's Oscar campaign represents a turning point in how the industry and audiences perceive animal actors.
According to JoBlo, Tyler Nichols gave a review of the film and singled out Indy's performance. Nichols said, "It's so strange to be talking about a dog's performance, but it's hard not to when it comes to a film like this. Indy isn't a 'stunt dog,' yet he clearly takes commands well, as the filmmakers are able to get what actually feels like a performance out of him. There are so many ways that this could have gone wrong, and yet they were able to do a great job making the dog emote and move at the right times".
