Meet Jellybean – a seven-year-old Red Heeler who plays the spooky role of a zombie dog in the latest Stephen King’s Pet Semetary:Bloodlines.
Jellybean is completely deaf and learned his acting talents by his owner and dog trainer, Melissa Millett using hand signals. The dog’s deafness has been an advantage securing his latest role since he wasn’t startled by the loud noises on the movie set.
Fortunately for Jellybean, the puppy’s breeder was a responsible person; one we wish all breeders could emulate when faced with a puppy they might not be able to sell. This breeder drove Jellybean from Reno, where he was born, on a 10 hour drive to California’s Deaf Dog Rescue of America, instead of euthanizing him or sending him to a high kill shelter. It was there that Melissa met Jellybean and adopted him. She began training the pup for on camera work.
According to People, Jellybean has been in four films and lots of commercials; Melissa says, her sweet dog “lives to work.” And it seemed to be Jellybean’s amazing slow walk that earned this pup the role:
In a creepy movie, we’re looking for long stares and quiet and focus, and that’s things that are easier to get with a deaf dog.
just because there’s one thing that he can’t do doesn’t mean there’s a million things he can’t do.
Melissa
Melissa trained Jellybean using hand signals and taught him to drop his chin and keep his movements eerily slow while filming. The movie is a prequel to 2019’s Pet Sematary adaptation of the classic Stephen King novel.
Now for all the readers who are a bit put off by Jellybean’s expressions, they are all done for acting, and the makeup applied to this superstar. He is also being featured in the upcoming series Orphan Black:Echoes, and Jellybean now has the nickname of “the Brad Pitt of dogs.”
Don’t be fooled however, Jellybean may be typecast as a villain kind of pup, but he is “the sweetest dog and really easy to work with,” however when the cameras are rolling, “he puts on that acting face and goes into a different mode.”
And what’s equally as special and appealing about Jellybean, is he gives other actors, both dogs and people, with disabilities, additional inroads to pursue their dreams.
Many thanks to Melissa Millett for sharing her talents and kindness towards all of her amazing canine partners.
Check out the video:
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