This Year’s Best Actor Wasn’t Even Eligible for an Oscar Nom

Say what you want about this year’s Oscar snubs. The only performer not nominated and truly worth the discourse is Messi, the border collie dog who played Snoop in Anatomy of a Fall, and—SMDH—he wasn’t even eligible.

I’m joking, of course. Every year, there are outstanding acting performances from human beings who miss the cut or fly under the radar completely. (Looking at you Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Andrew Scott, Rachel McAdams, and Fantasia Barrino.) But if there was ever a time for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to give some kind of special or honorary Oscar to a canine, it’s now. To quote Ayo Edebiri’s Letterboxd review, “Well I just saw the greatest acting performance of my life and it was not by Sandra Hüller or a child actor with the c***iest bangs I’ve ever seen—it was by a dog so—”

This feels weird to say about a French courtroom drama and not movie that’s not part of a superhero franchise, but there are spoilers ahead for Anatomy of a Fall. Drop everything, no pun intended, and watch it! The film is available to rent or buy on digital platforms. It might still be playing in theaters depending on your area, y’all. Justine Triet’s film, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Picture, Actress, Editing, Original Screenplay, and Director at the Academy Awards, is thought-provoking, darkly comic, and incredibly gripping. You do not want to miss this one.

For what it’s worth, Cannes awarded the “Palm Dog” to Messi. Your move, Oscar! Make something up if you have to! He already accepted an award on behalf of Anatomy of a Fall. At the Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, the film won Best Film Not in the English Language. Attendees got to watch a video message from Messi thanking them for the honor. He’s on the campaign trail!

Messi plays Snoop, a family pet and guide dog who assists a boy named Daniel, who is blind. Snoop is the first to discover the dead body of Samuel, Daniel’s father. He’s not just a casual observer, however. Anatomy of a Fall is primarily a courtroom drama. Daniel’s mother Sandra is on trial for the murder of Samuel. But the dog, and Daniel’s memories of him, play a surprising role in the story and the ultimate outcome of the trial.

In fact, Triet sees Snoop as a metaphorical stand-in according to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “In many ways,” says Triet, “he represents this dead person, this absent person. There was a scene we shot that we ended up editing out of the final film, where the dog vomits and it was very clear that he was the presence that has replaced Samuel.”

“In several scenes, we are on the level of the dog,” she adds. “We see things from his perspective. He is as much a character as any other, and that was very important to me.”

I’m not the type of person who googles “does the dog die” about movies. I’m pretty good at suspending my disbelief and can stomach certain amounts of animal abuse because I know it’s fiction. However, there’s a scene in Anatomy of a Fall that had my stomach in knots! Without giving too much away, the dog experiences a drug overdose. I truly believed that I was watching a dog die in real time. It was awful to watch. Since seeing the film, I’ve cornered every single one of my animal-loving friends and assured them that the dog does not die. No matter what you think, it’s going to be okay.

That all comes down to Messi’s talent as a dog actor. In an interview with The Wildest, Messi’s trainer and owner Laura Martin Contini explains that his eyes and physique made it difficult for Messi to get his big break. “I’ve always known that Messi is a very intelligent dog,” says Contini, who was responsible for safely getting Messi to look and act sick. And Triet credits her with “allowing him to be a character” in the THR interview as well. So really, the honorary Oscar I’m envisioning goes to her. But still, Messi would make for a cute nominee! “He was letting himself be petted and he was making a show [at the premiere],” Contini tells The Wildest. “I definitely think he’s got what it takes to be at a ceremony.”

(featured image: Neon)