Ancient cave paintings often depict herds of prehistoric animals as witnessed by primitive humans, and photographers were taking pictures of cats almost as soon as the technology was invented, so it stands to reason that filmmakers have been working with animals, both cute and terrifying, since the art form was still in its infancy.
Unfortunately, animal performers rarely get the recognition they deserve, despite it being much harder for cats and dogs to maintain a career in show business. This is precisely why IFC recently published an open letter (jokingly) criticizing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences once they discovered that Good Boy’s Indy the Dog is ineligible for a Best Actor award. And while we wait for the industry to start valuing its non-human workers, we’ve decided to compile a list celebrating six animal actors in horror movies who deserved Academy Awards!
For the purposes of this list, we’ll only be considering roles (mostly) portrayed by actual animals, so don’t expect to see effects-driven creations from films like Jaws or even King Kong. That being said, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite non-human performers if you think we missed a particularly talented one.
With that out of the way, onto the list!
6. Tomorrow (Tarantula) – Tarantula! (1955)
Arachnids may not be the most expressive animals out there, but body language can often speak louder than fanged mandibles. That’s why I’d like to start off our celebration of animal performers with Tomorrow, the real spider that played the main antagonist in Jack Arnold’s seminal monster movie, Tarantula!
Directed across miniature sets through small jets of air pushing it in the right direction (and shot in slow-motion in order to make its movement seem unnatural), Tomorrow was one of the first effects-enhanced performers to make it big in Hollywood, and that’s why this freaky little spider deserves to be remembered alongside the likes of Andy Serkis.
5. Sparky (Sparky) – Frankenweenie (1984)
I actually think that 2012’s animated remake of Frankenweenie is one of Tim Burton’s best films, but there’s something special about watching an undead bull terrier and its precocious owner accidentally unleash chaos in a suburban neighborhood in live-action glory. Of course, the 1984 short only works because the titular canine is so darn lovable, and that’s why Sparky makes it onto the list.
Sharing a name with his fictional counterpart, this veteran animal actor imbued his role with so much chaotic charm that audiences barely noticed he was bruised and stitched up like he’d just been part of a veterinary autopsy gone horribly wrong. If you need further proof of Sparky’s talents, just check out his later appearances in classics like Blue Velvet and even Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
4. Charlie (Black Phillip) – The Witch (2015)
Overly committed method actors have become a contentious issue in Hollywood. These days, even casual filmgoers tend to roll their eyes at the idea of performers refusing to break character and even harassing fellow castmates as a way of settling into their roles. Still, I’d argue that there is one case where this phenomenon ended up helping the movie as a whole.
In Robert Eggers’ debut feature, the satanic Black Phillip was brought to life by a real goat named Charlie, with this 210-pound thespian repeatedly injuring co-star Ralph Ineson and delaying the shoot with his seemingly demonic levels of stubbornness. But his unpredictable behavior (and the fact that his co-stars were in constant fear of being gored by the creature) made the character that much scarier despite many of the goat’s scenes having to be cut due to Charlie’s overall disdain for the filmmaking process.
3. Unnamed Gambian Pouched Rat (Ben) – Willard (2003)
The second adaptation of Ratman’s Notebooks, 2003’s Willard, is my preferred version of the story due to Crispin Glover’s mesmerizing take on the titular outcast. However, the film also benefits from a series of standout rodent performances as Willard’s furry friends wreak havoc upon his enemies.
Of course, not all rats are created equal; the most memorable rodent in the film has to be the fearsome Ben. An oversized critter with a bad temper who ends up turning on Willard towards the end of the flick, Ben was brought to life by a Gambian pouched rat whose name was unfortunately never made public. Yet, this anonymous actor’s beady eyes are so expressive that you can’t help but sympathize with him even when he’s feasting on human flesh.
2. Schnitzel & Nico (Frodo) – A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
While moviegoers are used to seeing a single actor play dual roles (think Michael B. Jordan in Sinners), the opposite usually only happens with young children and the occasional animal. Since the unpredictable nature of felines means that having an identical backup performer can literally save millions of dollars on a production, it makes sense that the most compelling character in Michael Sarnoski’s A Quiet Place prequel was played by a pair of cats named Schnitzel and Nico!
Though Nico had to undergo extensive makeup preparation so that his fur looked more like that of his spotted counterpart, the end result was one seamless performance that pushed the boundaries of what cats can be expected to do onscreen – and they both looked cute as hell the entire time. That’s why I’d argue that both of these furry performers deserved a nomination.
1. Jed (The Thing) – The Thing (1982)
Effortlessly transitioning between seemingly innocent sled dog and otherworldly invader, the Timber Wolf/Alaskan Malamute hybrid who plays the Thing’s initial form is one of the most effective horror actors in film history. Chosen for the role because of his nearly preternatural knack for following stage directions (as well as the natural predatory behavior resulting from his unique genetic heritage), Jed makes you fear the titular creature even before Carpenter begins to play around with gruesome practical effects.
Sure, Jed’s part in the flick may not be as extensive as some of the other critters on this list, but I struggle to think of any other animal actor that has had quite the same impact on the horror genre as this talented dog. In fact, director Ben Leonberg even cited Jed as an inspiration for Indy’s intense performance in Good Boy, so we couldn’t help but place him in the number one spot!
That being said, there’s always the chance that Jed wasn’t actually acting and really was just The Thing in disguise…
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