A Trailblazing Dog Wins an Acting Award
Despite how common the use of animals—particularly dogs—in film and television has become, few people expect them to be taken seriously as performers, let alone as award contenders. Animals may captivate audiences, steal scenes, and become cultural icons, but the idea of them winning an acting award often raises an immediate question: can what they do truly be considered acting?
By definition, the answer is yes. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, acting is defined simply as “the job of performing in films or plays.” Under that broad and functional definition, any creature that performs on screen—human or otherwise—is an actor.
While animals do not deliver dialogue or interpret scripts in the traditional sense, their performances are still the result of training, direction, and timing crafted for the camera. In that respect, animals in film fulfill the same basic purpose as human actors: to convey a story to an audience.
Historically, animals have been recognized in their own separate spaces. Organizations such as the Palm Dog Awards at the Cannes Film Festival have celebrated animal talent without placing them in direct competition with human actors. Similarly, the PATSY Awards (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) were created specifically to acknowledge standout animal performers in film and television.
This established boundary was notably crossed this year. On January 6, 2026, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Indy made awards history by winning Best Performance in a Horror or Thriller at the 9th Astra Film Award.
Indy competed directly against human nominees such as Ethan Hawke, Alison Brie, and Sally Hawkins and emerged victorious, marking the first time an animal has won in a major acting category previously limited to human talent.
Many people view this award as wholly a good thing, a sweet story that makes them smile.
“Since I love dogs, I think it’s the best thing ever to get people engaged and help accept dogs as actors, because even though they are just animals, they are still acting, and that takes skill and time. I love that animals are getting more recognition for their talent, especially dogs. They are so cute and deserve it,” said senior Edisleibys Cuesta.
However, many people think that despite the sweet moment, it’s disingenuous to the human actors and their effort.
“It’s definitely not easy to get a dog to do what you need them to, even if they’re well-behaved. But beating out a human actor who needs to give so much to provide a good performance? It’s almost disrespectful in the face of that to give the award to a dog instead, who doesn’t even know what it’s really doing,” said senior Joshua Kruythoff.
Regardless of where opinions fall, Indy’s victory has undeniably challenged long-standing industry norms. Whether this moment is a one-time anomaly or marks the beginning of broader change, it has already succeeded in doing what great performances often do best: provoke discussion, question assumptions, and leave a lasting impression.
