Amid all of the chat about supposed “snubs” at this year’s Oscars, there’s one name that we’re disappointed to have not seen as part of the conversation.
Yes, we’re talking about the dog from Anatomy Of A Fall.
Canine actor Messi all but steals the show as a supporting player in the acclaimed legal drama, in which he stars as Snoop, and while sadly he didn’t become the first pooch to be nominated for an Academy Awards, he did still get his flowers in one respect, when he was invited to Monday’s Oscars luncheon.
And we’re glad to see that at least one of this year’s nominees recognised they were in the presence of a true acting great.
Footage from the event shows Ryan Gosling meeting Messi for the first time, all while getting suitably starstruck.
As Anatomy Of A Fall’s production company Neon put it over on X (formerly Twitter): “The year’s Best Supporting Actors go head to head.”
Ryan was joined at the event by a number of his Barbie collaborators, including co-stars Margot Robbie and America Ferrera, director Greta Gerwig and musicians Mark Ronson and Billie Eilish, who worked on the film’s soundtrack.
The Canadian actor has been nominated for his third Oscar for his work as Ken in the Barbie film, but has repeatedly spoken out to voice his disappointment that Greta and Margot weren’t nominated in the directing and acting fields, respectively.
Barbie scooped eight nominations in total, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Greta. Margot is also nominated as a producer in the Best Picture field.