So, Messi the Dog Is "Clapping" at the Oscars
The breakout star of 'Anatomy of a Fall' was eager to participate!


Honored with a seat at the Oscars this year was Messi the dog, the breakout star of award season (in my opinion) and one of the stars of Anatomy of a Fall (the objective fact). Messi the dog did not take this privilege lightly, and when it came to honoring the recipients of the biggest award in film, Messi was ready to participate: When the crowd clapped, Messi "clapped" along with them.
If you think about this too hard, it invites a lot of questions (is someone perched at foot level clapping fake paws? Is Messi unnerved by the phantom paws? Am I unnerved by the phantom paws?). So, in line with the celebration of film that we, and Messi, are here to enjoy, I invite you to suspend your disbelief and watch the dog clapping.
Messi enjoying his own seat the Oscars.
Messi even got a shout-out from host Jimmy Kimmel: "I haven’t seen a French actor eat vomit like that since Gérard Depardieu," Kimmel quipped.
But this isn't Messi's first brush with the circuit. He also attended the Oscars nominee lunch, where he befriended Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, and Billie Eilish; before that, he attended a live reading of the Anatomy of a Fall screenplay and joined a press junket. "It’s probably the maximum that you can accomplish in this field," gushed his trainer, Laura Martin, with whom Messi lives in Paris.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Jenny is the Digital Director at Marie Claire. A graduate of Leeds University, and a native of London, she moved to New York in 2012 to attend the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She was the first intern at Bustle when it launched in 2013 and spent five years building out its news and politics department. In 2018 she joined Marie Claire, where she held the roles of Deputy Digital Editor and Director of Content Strategy before becoming Digital Director. Working closely with Marie Claire's exceptional editorial, audience, commercial, and e-commerce teams, Jenny oversees the brand's digital arm, with an emphasis on driving readership. When she isn't editing or knee-deep in Google Analytics, you can find Jenny writing about television, celebrities, her lifelong hate of umbrellas, or (most likely) her dog, Captain. In her spare time, she writes fiction: her first novel, the thriller EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD, was published with Minotaur Books (UK) and Little, Brown (US) in February 2024 and became a USA Today bestseller. She has also written extensively about developmental coordination disorder, or dyspraxia, which she was diagnosed with when she was nine.
-
The Best Spring 2025 Color Trends Are on Sale at Nordstrom
From cherry red to butter yellow, here are the delectable shades to wear this season.
By Lauren Tappan Published
-
Khloé Kardashian Finds It "Insulting" When Kendall and Kylie Are Called Her Half-Sisters
In fact, she "despises" it.
By Lia Beck Published
-
Hailey Bieber Prowls Through Paris in a Snow Leopard Coat
The beauty mogul dug a rare Saint Laurent piece out of storage for her whirlwind fashion week trip.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Meet the Cast of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines'
The moving series features some of Korea's biggest stars, including K-pop icon IU.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Meet the Cast of 'The Leopard'
Several of Italy's most promising young stars lead the cast.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
'Paradise' Finale Recap: Breaking Down the Shocking Season 1 Ending
We're still reeling from all of those twists!
By Radhika Menon Published
-
'Paradise' Season 2: Everything We Know
Creator Dan Fogelman says the Hulu thriller is "bigger than what people think it is right now."
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
'Anora' Star Mikey Madison Takes Home the Best Actress Award at the 2025 Oscars in a Surprise Win
"I will continue to support and be an ally."
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Zoe Saldaña Becomes the First American of Dominican Origin to Win an Oscar
"I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award and I know I will not be the last."
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
LISA, Doja Cat, and Raye Perform a Glamorous 'James Bond' Tribute at the 2025 Oscars
The Academy Awards are for the pop girls, actually.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Open the 2025 Oscars With a Showstopping 'Wicked' Performance
The awards show began with a medley of songs inspired by the Best Picture-nominated film and adaptations of 'The Wizard of Oz.'
By Quinci LeGardye Published