The dog actor behind the horror film Good Boy has taken home a major acting honor, with Indy the dog winning Best Performance in a Horror or Thriller at the 2026 Astra Film Awards.
The award was presented to Indy and his co-stars in Los Angeles, California on January 10. The award recognizes performances across horror and thriller releases, making Indy’s win a rare moment for an animal actor in a traditionally human-dominated category.
Good Boy is a psychological horror film that centers on a man and his dog as they become isolated in a remote home, with much of the tension driven by the dog’s reactions to unseen threats. Indy’s performance plays a central role in building the film’s atmosphere, relying heavily on expression, body language, and sustained screen presence rather than traditional dialogue-driven storytelling.
Man’s best friend wins prestigious film award
While animal performances are often praised informally by audiences, formal acting awards for non-human performers remain uncommon. Indy’s Astra win places Good Boy in the spotlight during awards season and has drawn attention online from film fans surprised to see a dog recognized alongside human actors.
Indy won the Astra Film Award over a strong slate of human nominees in the category. The dog actor beat Alfie Williams for 28 Years Later, Ethan Hawke for Black Phone 2, Alison Brie for Together, Sally Hawkins for Bring Her Back, and Sophie Thatcher for Companion, making Indy’s win one of the most unexpected results of the night.
The Astra Film Awards, formerly known as the Hollywood Critics Association Awards, are voted on by a group of critics and entertainment journalists and have increasingly highlighted genre films in recent years.
Horror and thriller performances, which are often overlooked by major awards bodies, have become a stronger focus for the organization. And this historical award marks the first time an animal has ever won Best Performance in a Horror/Thriller at the Astra Film Awards
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