The four-legged star who captured the heart of best actress winner Emma Stone and millions of others at last night’s BAFTA Film Awards can be revealed – as Lilliput the Maltese terrier.
Playing the part of Michael Sheen’s dog -given the unlikely name ‘Bark Ruffalo’ – Lilli, a canine showbiz veteran, pulled off her starring role with aplomb, and set social media alight.
As the ceremony began, she was in a five-minute Staged-style sketch with host David Tennant, in which the Scottish actor made out he agreed to dog-sit for Michael Sheen before he realised it clashed with his BAFTA appearance.
After unsuccessfully begging various A-Listers including Tom Hiddleston and Dame Judi Dench to take ‘Bark’ off his hands, David then made his live entrance to the Royal Festival Hall laden down with the dog, its basket, bowl and toys.
On his way to the stage, he offered the dog to Emma Stone, who looked keen to help, but David turned away, saying ‘no, not with that dress’.
The four-legged star who captured Emma Stone’s heart and millions of others at the BAFTA’s on Sunday evening identity has been revealed as Lilliput the Maltese terrier
On his way to the stage, he offered the dog to Emma Stone, who looked keen to help, but David turned away, saying ‘no, not with that dress’
Then he spotted ‘owner’ Michael Sheen at the front and handed him back the dog before the ceremony began.
Paula Stewart, boss of The Animal Talent agency, told MailOnline that Lilli’s big break came when BAFTA asked if she had a dog on her books who could cope with the pressure.
‘It had to be Lilli,’ said Paula. ‘She’s a bit of a diva, but when the lights go up, she’s a total pro.
Lilli’s CV boasts commercials for Louis Vuitton and Tesco and promotional events for Walt Disney Films Patrick and the Call of the Wild.
She’s done a photoshoot with the Pet Shop boys and social media collaborations with Crufts and Warner Bros.
But this was without doubt her biggest role to date. The first hurdle was getting her into the auditorium, where dogs are banned. She also needed accreditation for which she had to provide some form of identity, such as ‘driving licence.’
‘We used her pet passport,’ said Paula, ‘and the crew were obviously told in advance to expect a dog. We are certain she’s the only dog ever to appear at the BAFTAs.’
Suitably, the dog’s performer pass bills her as ‘Megastar’.
Playing the part of Michael Sheen ’s dog -given the unlikely name ‘Bark Ruffalo’ – Lilli, a canine showbiz veteran, pulled off her starring role with aplomb, and set social media alight
Lilliput’s first hurdle was getting into the auditorium, where dogs are banned. She also needed accreditation for which she had to provide some form of identity, such as ‘driving licence’
Remarkably, pre-recorded scenes with David where Lilli was decked out as a courier pretending to fool security and dodge the no-dogs rule, were only shot on Saturday, the day before the actual ceremony
Remarkably, pre-recorded scenes with David where Lilli was decked out as a courier pretending to fool security and dodge the no-dogs rule, were only shot on Saturday, the day before the actual ceremony.
The dog started modelling nine years ago, after being spotted on the streets of Hampstead for a Good Housekeeping shoot.
Her owner, Marianne De Fiouw, 46, never intended for her to become a star, but after being head-hunted, Lilliput loved the camera so much, she never stopped posing.
Now Lilliput has her own Instagram account with nearly 230,000 followers and she regularly posts from her glamorous photoshoots and TV locations.
So convincing was Lilliput as Michael Sheen’s dog that fans asked his wife Anna Lundberg online if it was true.
She replied on X/Twiter: ‘I wish! She is not’ with a tearful emoji.
The BAFTA sketch began with a Zoom-like call between David and Sheen, which showed the Doctor Who actor sat in his kitchen with a grey kilt hanging up in the background.
David starts the call with Sheen immediately saying: ‘I don’t have time for pleasantries David, some of us are big in America.’
The Welsh actor attempts to confirm if he can drop off his new pet, Bark Ruffalo, paying homage to Poor Things and Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo, on Sunday morning, to which David replies he cannot.
‘I don’t want any of your excuses, David, you promised,’ Michael says, adding: ‘And I can’t leave him with the neighbour because he peed in their kitchen.’
Lilliput’s appearance sent social media into a frenzy
‘I don’t want any of your excuses, David, you promised,’ Michael says in the sketch, adding: ‘And I can’t leave him with the neighbour because he peed in their kitchen’ (Michael Sheen and his wife Anna Lundberg at the ceremony)
So convincing was Lilliput as Michael Sheen’s dog that fans asked his wife Anna Lundberg online if it was true, to which Anna replied that she sadly is not
David’s wife, Georgia, then walks into frame, where she says sarcastically: ‘Whereas we are desperate for him to pee in our kitchen?’
Michael ends the call asking David to sort out the issue, before the Scottish actor proceeds to frantically message fellow celebrities to find a dog-sitter.
American actor Stanley Tucci joins the Zoom call and initially agrees to the favour, but quickly ridicules David for believing him to be serious.
‘And the Bafta for catching on very quickly goes to,’ Stanley says deadpan while pointing at David.
David then calls Yesterday actor Himesh Patel who pretends his video is frozen until someone walks past in the background.
When David points this out, Himesh lets out a sigh, and says: ‘Look, I know you’re just calling because you want something,’ before pretending his screen has frozen again.
The next port-of-call David calls is Loki star Tom Hiddleston who asks the actor for his new pitch.
‘The pitch is dog sitting for Michael Sheen,’ David says.
Tom appears impressed and replied: ‘Wow. OK, yeah, interesting. So we’re going for, life? Funny?’
Tom talks enthusiastically about potentially creating a film about Michael’s dog-sitting situation, while David looks on confused.
The dog started modelling nine years ago, after being spotted on the streets of Hampstead for a Good Housekeeping shoot. Now she has her own Instagram account with nearly 230,000 followers and regularly posts from her glamorous photoshoots and TV locations
Lilli’s CV boasts commercials for Louis Vuitton and Tesco and promotional events for Walt Disney Films Patrick and the Call of the Wild
‘Did your agent tell you I wanted to talk to you about a film?’ David asks.
‘Obviously. Unless you’re actually calling me to dog sit for Michael Sheen,’ Hiddleston says with dawning realisation.
The screen switches to show Dame Judi Dench who disappointedly tells David: ‘I thought you were going to be that beautiful Michael Sheen.’
Asked if she could look after Bark Ruffalo, Dame Judi says: ‘He pees everywhere, and anyway, I should be watching the Bafta film awards with a big glass of Champagne.’
Dame Judi asks about the kilt in the background, to which David replies: ‘Wait and see’.
When David notices Sheen sitting in the front row, they argue about who should keep hold of the pet before Sheen relents and lets his co-star begin his hosting monologue dog-free.
Once on the stage David told the audience that the dog was actually played by motion-capture star Andy Serkis, who famously starred as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings and Caesar in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
When shortly afterwards, Andy himself came to the stage to present an award, he provoked howls of laughter when he opened with: ‘Playing Bark Ruffalo was for me a career highlight.
‘Many of you will know him from the Dogfather trilogy, less so from his powerful performances in Bone of Interest and Paw Things.
But, more importantly, fearlessly he took on the studios when they tried to scan him in order to use his likeness and voice in perpetuity for a one-off doggie treat, but I dogress…’
BAFTA 2024 WINNERS IN FULL
Best Film
Anatomy Of A Fall
The Holdovers
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
Best Director
Oppenheimer’s is set to sweep the board. One of its many nominations is Christopher Nolan as Best Director
Andrew Haigh, All of Us Stranger
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall
Alexander Payne, The Holdovers
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Supporting Actor
Robert De Niro, Killers Of The Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Jacob Elordi, Saltburn
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Paul Mescal, All Of Us Strangers
Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers
Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Claire Foy, All Of Us Strangers
Sandra Hüller, The Zone Of Interest
Rosamund Pike, Saltburn
Da’vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers – WINNER
Original Screenplay
Anatomy Of A Fall has received plenty of nominations including for Original Screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall – WINNER
Barbie
The Holdovers
Maestro
Past Lives
Adapted Screenplay
All Of Us Strangers
American Fiction – WINNER
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
The Zone Of Interest
Animated Film
Chicken Run’s sequel Dawn Of The Nugget is up for Animated Film
The Boy And The Heron – WINNER
Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
British Short Film
Festival Of Slaps
Gorka
Jellyfish And Lobster – WINNER
Such A Lovely Day
Yellow
Cinematography
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
The Sone Of Interest
Documentary
20 Days In Mariupol – WINNER
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Wham!
Make Up & Hair
Killers Of The Flower Moon earned plenty of nominations. Pictured: Lily Gladstone and Leonardo di Caprio
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Maestro
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER
Product Design
Barbie
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER
The Zone Of Interest
Special Visual Effects
Poor Things, featuring Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo (both pictured), is up for Special Visual Effects
The Creator
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Poor Things – WINNER
Leading Actor
Barry Keoghan is up for Leading Actor for his performance in Saltburn
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Barry Keoghan, Saltburn
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Teo Yoo, Past Lives
Leading Actress
Margot Robbie got nominated for Leading Actress
Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy Of A Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Vivian Oparah, Rye Lane
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Emma Stone, Poor Things – WINNER
Outstanding British Film
All Of Us Strangers
How To Have Sex
Napoleon
The Old Oak
Poor Things
Rye Lane
Saltburn
Scrapper
Wonka
The Zone Of Interest – WINNER
Film Not in the English Language
20 Days In Mariupol
Anatomy of a Fall
Past Lives
Society of the Snow
The Zone of Interest – WINNER
Outstanding Debut
How To Have Sex got a nod for Outstanding Debut
Blue Bag Life
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
Earth Mama – WINNER
How To Have Sex
Is There Anybody Out There?
Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer
Lisa Selby, Rebecca Lloyd-Evans, Alex Fry
Christopher Sharp
Savanah Leaf, Shirley O’connor, Medb Riordan – WINNER
Molly Manning Walker
Ella Glendining
British Short Animation
Crab Day – WINNER
Visible Mending
Wild Summon
Casting
The Holdovers had a good showing, including being up for Casting
All Of Us Strangers
Anatomy Of A Fall
The Holdovers – WINNER
How To Have Sex
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Costume Design
Barbie
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER
Editing
Anatomy Of A Fall
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
The Zone Of Interest
Original Score
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
Saltburn
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Sound
The Zone Of Interest is up for Sound alongside Oppenheimer, Maestro and others
Ferrari
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone Of Interest – WINNER
EE Rising Star
Phoebe Dynevor
Ayo Edebiri
Jacob Elordi
Mia McKenna-Bruce – WINNER
Sophie Wilde
