Shelter Dog With No Training Lands Her First Role In Hit Movie "Prey" And Knocks It Out Of The Park

Animal sidekicks are sometimes just the best-supporting characters in movies. And "Prey" - Hulu’s biggest movie premiere features such a character: Sarii, the protagonist’s loyal dog companion. However, not many people know of her interesting real-life background, which has been revealed by the Fulton Shelter in Atlanta, Georgia. It turns out, this talented animal's real name is Coco, and she was a shelter dog that had never gone through training before taking the role.

Source: Fulton County Animal Services

Coco may not have imagined that she would one day become a big star. She was a lost pet that was initially taken care of by a member of the community who was trying to find someone who could adopt her. The lovely puppy ended up in the shelter after attempts to find her a family were fruitless.
“Coco was a lost pet and was being taken care of by a member of the community for several weeks,” said Chloe Arrington, social media coordinator for Lifeline Animal Project at Fulton County Animal Services. “[They] tried to locate anyone looking for her, but they could not keep her permanently.”
She was temporarily taken up by a foster family, but they were unable to care for her either. It almost seemed as though life just didn't want to give this poor innocent doggo a break or a home.

Source: Fulton County Animal Services

But then, at last, lady luck shone on Coco, and her life took a dramatic turn for the better. A family came looking to adopt her, but this is no ordinary family. They are professionals who work in the Entertainment industry, and they brought with them the perfect opportunity for their new pup. Coco, a shelter dog without any prior experience in acting, was to star in Hulu's upcoming movie "Prey", which is the latest installment of the "Predator" franchise, which started in 1987.

Source: IMDB

“She came back to the shelter and her new family came and adopted her, they had been hoping she would be available for adoption and, sure enough, fate stepped in!” Arrington recalled.
“Along with her family, she has a dedicated trainer now as well,” she continued, “Coco may have more roles in the future, as she is a pup who loves to be active and keep moving and learning. Having a job is a great fit for her.”
In "Prey", Coco plays the role of Sarii, the loyal partner of Naru (played by Amber Midthunder)-the protagonist of the movie. The crew loved working with Coco and was willing to be as patient with her as they needed. According to the movie's star, Midthunder, Coco is "... a little bit of a hot mess — but in a sweet way". It was the rookie dog actress's "own joyful and playful personality" that won their hearts.

Source: "Prey"

In the end, their love and confidence in Coco paid off!
"She was originally meant to have a small role; however, her popularity among test audiences encouraged director Dan Trachtenberg to include more of Coco in the film,” the shelter’s Facebook post said.
Now Coco is living her best life, one that must have surpassed her expectations. She made her new family proud and proved that when given a chance, shelter dogs will show just how precious they are as a companion.

Source: "Prey"

You can watch "Prey" on Hulu to see Midthunder and Coco take on an extraterrestrial alien that hunts human warriors for sport.

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