WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED BELOW 70 degrees, the Strays movie crew had to bring in a heating pad because Benny, the Boston terrier that plays Bug, didn’t like his paws on wet grass, Josh Greenbaum, the film’s director, said.
“But his performance is great. So, whatever he needs for his process,” Greenbaum told Total Film.
It’s no surprise that the comedy Strays is taking home more than one PAWSCARS Award. Thirty years after Homeward Bound, the R-rated film relies nearly entirely on dog actors. Three of the four main characters had never acted in a film before and Benny could not be further from his character’s tough, street dog persona.
Benny’s performance is rivaled by his new friend Reggie, played by a Border terrier named Sophie. The lead of the film, she used head tilts and varying walking paces to convey the emotion of a dog whose naïveté gives way to a newfound independence. In one scene, Reggie crawls under a fence while the other dogs hold it open for him
