Some actors like to commemorate their time on a movie or TV set by taking home a prop or another memento. But other actors go one step further — they take home their animal co-star. When an actor spends a lot of time rehearsing, training, and filming with a cat, dog, horse, or even a deer, a bond forms very quickly. And unlike human co-stars, there’s no way to swap numbers and agree to grab a drink after production has wrapped. When the cameras stop rolling, some actors don’t want to say goodbye to their new four-legged friend. Sometimes, the stars align and it actually is possible for that actor to officially adopt the animal.
Oftentimes, an actor is introduced to the animal by an on-set trainer, who supervises their working relationship for the duration of the project. But it can just so happen that a stray animal catches his or her eye by a twist of fate.
Chris Evans just happened to be filming at a dog shelter in Georgia when he walked past the kennel of his now-best friend, Dodger. David Dastmalchian, who played Polka Dot Man in The Suicide Squad, found a stray cat wandering around the movie’s set in Panama. Below, you’ll find several heartwarming stories about how these celebrities got acquainted with their animals on set before committing to giving them a loving home. Some were planned, while others were completely spontaneous.
Here are 10 actors from film and television who adopted the animals they met while working on set.