The last thing Godfrey Abela expected when signing up his dog for Gladiator II was to meet Denzel Washington, let alone have the Hollywood star ask to take his dog for a walk.
Thor, Abela’s 11-year-old, 55-kilogram Cane Corso, made his cinematic debut alongside Maya, another Cane Corso owned by Abela’s brother, in Ridley Scott’s sequel to his Oscar-winning epic Gladiator.
Filming took place in Malta, including scenes shot at Manoel Island on a rainy day in January, where Washington had a memorable encounter with the two mastiffs.
“Denzel is crazy about dogs,” Abela said.
They had finished shooting one day and the actor was walking around the set when he saw Thor and Maya.
“He was so excited when he saw the dogs.”
He asked Abela for permission to pet them. “And to my surprise, he asked me if he could walk them for a bit, to which I said yes, of course.”
Abela recalled spending 20 minutes chatting with the actor, whose security shared that Washington once owned a Cane Corso but now has Bullies instead.
Thor and Maya play Roman guard dogs in the film, a natural fit as Cane Corsos are descendants of the “Canis Pugnax”, the large Molossian dogs used by the Ancient Romans as war and guard dogs.
They can be spotted in several scenes, earning the nickname “gentle giants” from the film crew. “This is the beauty of this breed. They look like they will rip you to pieces, but they actually have amazing personalities and are very calm,” Abela said.
The opportunity for Thor’s film debut came unexpectedly. Abela didn’t sign the dog up for a casting. Thor is a local celebrity in his own right, known for catching the waves and surfing along Malta’s shores. His fans tagged Abela after the production called for Cane Corsos to feature in the film, and Abela believes this is why he got tapped.
The experience was bittersweet. Abela has a strong bond with Thor, who isn’t the puppy he once was. “I hate to say it, but he is getting older, and I wanted to have a recording of him for future memory.”
As Thor and Maya shared the spotlight, Abela and his nephew Luke took on the responsibility of handling the dogs on set. The role required some personal sacrifices. “I had to cut my dreadlocks and shave my beard, but I did it happily for Thor.”
Abela enjoyed the experience but hasn’t watched the movie yet. “I can’t bring the dogs to the cinema, and I don’t have anyone to leave them with,” he said, hoping to see Thor’s big screen debut soon enough.