There is a new name in Hollywood, and he just gave one of the best performances of the year.
Indy, a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, delivered one of the year’s best performances and became the first four-legged actor to win a major acting award, after taking home best performance in a horror or thriller at the 2025 Astra Film Awards for his role in “Good Boy.”
The independent horror film is told from Indy’s perspective. In the movie, Indy and his owner move to a rural home, where paranormal activity begins threatening both of them. Indy must protect himself and his human from the evil forces, according to IMDb.
“Good Boy” premiered in theaters Oct. 3, 2025, and earned $8.7 million at the box office worldwide, per Box Office Mojo.
Indy belongs to the film’s director, Ben Leonberg, and producer Kari Fischer, according to People. That connection prompted at least one critic to ask the question if the casting was considered nepotism when the film’s director casts his dog in the leading role.
While that question was never answered, Indy still prevailed over a competitive field of nominees that included Ethan Hawke (“The Black Phone 2″), Alison Brie (“Together”), Sally Hawkins (“Bring Her Back”), Sophie Thatcher (“Companion”) and Alfie Williams (“28 Years Later”).
Indy did not attend the ceremony, but Leonberg accepted the award on his behalf through a prerecorded acceptance video alongside the canine actor.
“On behalf of Indy, we are so thrilled to be recognized for his work in a movie he does not totally understand he was in,” Leonberg said.
He added that being recognized alongside performers such as Brie, Hawke, Thatcher, Hawkins and Williams was “incredible,” adding, “Indy is honored to accept this award — especially knowing that he’s standing in alongside performers who didn’t even need to be bribed in order to hit their marks.”
Leonberg told Entertainment Weekly that principal photography for the film took more than 400 days and about three years.
“Controlling his motion was always challenging,” he said at the time. “And there are times where, what I want him to do is walk into a room and freeze because he sees something alarming — and we’re saying ‘whoa,’ like dog-speak for ‘stop.’ But instead, he just keeps going and appears to plow into the supernatural force or jump up or gleefully run into what is supposed to be the supernatural scary thing.”
Indy was praised by Indiewire for being “one of the most emotive actors of his generation — regardless of species.”
This is not the dog’s first acting honor. He also received a Howl of Fame award from South by Southwest, Leonberg said in an October 2025 interview with People.
“I mean, he doesn’t know he got an award any more than he understands he was acting in a movie. So it won’t go to his head,” he shared at the time.
The four-legged award winner sparked mixed reactions online. Some users celebrated Indy’s achievement, while others criticized the decision from the academy, arguing it degraded the human actors nominated.
One user shared, “gonna need everyone to grow up and get a grip because this is just embarrassing.”
However, other users came to the defense of Indy, praising the Astra Film Awards selection.