Do animals have a future on Hollywood sets?

The turn to CGI has sidelined many of the dogs, bears and horses of yesteryear. But ethical questions aside, there’s still some magic in filming and seeing the real thing.

By: Cynthia Chris, City University of New York, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 19, 2026

Words: 1,229

Last Updated: 3 days, 11 hours ago

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By Cynthia Chris, City University of New York

There is a long and storied history of nonhuman actors, from Luke, the dog of silent star Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, to the collies cast in the role of Lassie in film and on television. Bart the Bear racked up over 20 film and TV credits in the 1980s and 1990s, while countless horses have supported period dramas that now saturate streaming services.

But business has …

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