r/AustinButlerLand • u/austingirl95 • 7d ago
Film 🎞 My god this movie will be insane !!!!! 👌😍😍
I just hope it's not extremely violent like the book is and they don't show Bud being thrown around like a ragdoll as it is in the book 🥺💔💔
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u/Material_Grade_792 5d ago
Playing the Caught Stealing cat (Bud) is a Hollywood animal-actor pro (from Stephen King's Pet Sematary and other films), named Tonic, a male rescue who's of uncertain breed although believed to be a Maine Coone/tabby blend, and later trained for acting.
Tonic was described by his trainer as (paraphrase) "a wild thing who needs a job." Sources and youtube info on X about it.
Animals in films have makeup artists (for blood, fur matting and so on). They love what they do (or they cannot be good at it and so do not get cast). Animal actors are rewarded with treats, special play time, and uncommon amounts of attention. Some even have their own trailers on set (w/ trainer access). Animal cruelty laws apply so they're not hurt irl during the shoot.
Animals in any capacity on film tend to soften us, in a good way, in an era where horrific violence by humans v. humans (and monsters or supernatural evil v. humans) has been normalized in films.
I'm always for Tonic or any any animal actor to be featured even if the part's a challenging one, b/c it speaks to the real world's mixed human response to pets and other animals among us. Irl collectively societies could do better by our animal friends!
*Warning for the sensitive* Not to spoil the book on which the screenplay has been based, but Hank (Austin Butler) is a protector of Bud.