Hollywood awards seasons usually have their fair share of controversies. Whether it's notable snubs or wild events that take place during the ceremony, there's rarely a shortage of subjects to sustain the discourse.
But one particularly ruff scandal this year revolves around Messi, the breakout star of this year's awards season. Messi also happens to be a border collie who plays a prominent role in Best Picture nominee Anatomy of a Fall. And apparently, despite stealing the hearts of everyone from Ryan Gosling to Billie Eilish on the awards circuit, he will not be at this Sunday's Academy Awards.
This news comes from THR, which includes the following detail that made it impossible for me to ignore this story: according to the outlet, "multiple companies" with nominated films complained about Messi's inclusion in the annual Oscar nominee luncheon last month, especially since he's not technically a nominee. They griped to the Academy, sources tell THR, that Messi's attendance gave Anatomy of a Fall "an advantage" while Oscar voting was still ongoing.
And hey, maybe that's a little true. Just look at this TikTok of Gosling being won over by Messi at the luncheon.
@etalkctv Please enjoy Ryan Gosling falling in love with Messi the dog from ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon. ?❤️ #RyanGosling #Dog #MessiTheDog #AnatomyOfAFall #Barbie #Oscars #OscarNomineesLuncheon #Cute ♬ original sound - ?‹?
Messi even got some of the customary portraits that nominees take at the luncheon, and oh my god just look at them:
Academy reps haven't commented officially on the situation, but a source close to Anatomy of a Fall tells THR that Messi indeed won't be attending the ceremony following the complaints. Still, after the publication of the report, many fans of the French pup took to social media to declare, "LET MESSI THE DOG ATTEND THE OSCARS" and "Justice for Messi!"
LET MESSI THE DOG ATTEND THE OSCARS pic.twitter.com/K7AMGn0OVd
— Remy | met Sarah ? (@remyedenmaria) March 8, 2024
Justice for Messi! Get this good boy to the #Oscars! pic.twitter.com/ziFcbFbx1g
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) March 8, 2024
Let Messi attend the Oscars, sit in the front row, and present Best Picture pic.twitter.com/pJMUBoOxcG
— Brian Rowe (@mrbrianrowe) March 8, 2024
"How dare Bitter Betty’s complain about a dog. Talk about insecure," wrote u/Due-Secret-3091 on Reddit.
Jokes aside, others have pointed out that if the sweet blue eyes of a well-trained border collie can secure a Best Picture win, maybe there's a larger problem here.
If a dog is enough to sway Academy voters towards a film, that says a lot about the integrity of the voting body, doesn’t it?
— Brandon Lewis @ SXSW (@blewis1103) March 8, 2024
That said, Messi securing Anatomy of a Fall’s Best Picture win over Oppenheimer would cause a social media meltdown so insane I kinda want to see it? https://t.co/dWqIwQHRl0
Others have called out the actual nature of Messi's role in Anatomy of a Fall, where he played Snoop, a guide dog for a boy whose father dies by falling out of a window, spurring a trial.
We won't spoil the details of Snoop's arc here, but if you haven't seen Anatomy of a Fall, you might be surprised by how much of a crucial role the dog ends up playing, especially in one of the most memorable scenes of the movie. Seriously, it's a great performance, going far beyond simple tricks.
That poor dog did not suffer as much as he did in Anatomy of a Fall to be treated like this. Justice for Messi https://t.co/hIBjRL5GoW
— Meredith Loftus (@MeredithLoftus) March 8, 2024
Still, Messi comes out of this awards circuit a winner, having even scored the unofficial Palm Dog prize at the Cannes Film Festival, where the French legal drama made its debut last May. And no matter what, he's a very good boy.
For more on the Oscars, check out the full list of nominees this year.
Thumbnail credit: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
