Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with Your Favorite Animal Actors

When cameras roll and directors call, “Action,” some of the most dependable, funniest, and most enthusiastic actors stand poised on four legs, with ears alert. From Joey in War Horse to the wolves in Game of Thrones, what we see on screen is the result of meticulous preparation and professional teamwork. These eye-popping, heartwarming stories reveal the trainers, actors, directors, and animals in behind-the-scenes glory. You’ll discover that some animal actors have diva tendencies and others have rags-to-riches backstories. American Humane Association certified animal safety representatives work carefully to ensure that no animals are harmed, as they have been doing for decades.

Animal stars have done it all — convinced us to eat more tacos, broken our hearts in war dramas, inspired us with enduring love and loyalty, mirrored human antics to make us roar with laughter, and stolen the show on the red carpet. And animal stars will work for food, including only KFC original recipe for Casey the bear — no other fried chicken will do!

Training tips from the pros and recollections from Julia Roberts, Hailee Steinfeld, and Steven Spielberg make this insider’s look at the work of these incomparable stars as irresistible as the animals themselves.

Robin Ganzert, PhD, is president and CEO of American Humane Association, the first national humane organization, founded in 1877. Robin is a passionate advocate for the power of the child-animal bond. The mother of three children, she lives with her family, including three dogs and two cats, in North Carolina.

Allen & Linda Anderson are coauthors of a series of popular books, published in many languages, about the benefits of human-animal companionship, and cofounders of the Angel Animals Network. They have won recognition from the American Society of Journalists and Authors Outstanding Book Award program and are New York Times bestselling authors. They share their home in Minneapolis with a dog named Leaf, Cuddles the cat, and a cockatiel named Sunshine.