‘The Friend’: When the Star of the Movie is a Very Good Boy

In the heartwarming and heart-wrenching film The Friend, the true star isn’t one of the human actors but a giant, lovable Great Dane named Bing. With the imposing presence of a “Star Wars” walker and the soft eyes of a seasoned actor, Bing steals the show—making heads turn whenever he walks down the street with his co-stars, Naomi Watts and Bill Murray. “People would go, ‘Hey, get a load of the blonde,’” recalls Murray, mimicking a double take, “and then they’d say, ‘Get a load of THE DOG!’”

At a towering size and gentle nature, Bing is unlike any dog we’ve seen before on screen. With 40 extra pounds compared to Naomi Watts, Bing makes quite the impression. But The Friend isn’t just another dog movie. Adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s 2018 National Book Award-winning novel, it tells the emotional story of Iris (played by Watts), a New York author who unexpectedly inherits Apollo (Bing), the cherished Great Dane of her late mentor, Walter (Murray). Their lives collide as they both navigate grief—neither is quite prepared for what lies ahead, from apartment building pet policies to Apollo’s own deep sorrow.

David Siegel, co-director of The Friend, emphasizes the therapeutic power of animal companionship. “How creatures find each other—that’s where the solace comes from,” he explains. The filmmakers chose Bing for his “countenance,” or the emotional depth in his face. They wanted a dog who could convey sadness and happiness, much like a seasoned actor would. And Bing does just that—his eyes reflect the heartache and joy of his character.

On a recent spring day, Bing was spotted doing media rounds around Manhattan, attending interviews and photo shoots for the film. His owner, Beverly Klingensmith, moved him around the city, joking that his media schedule was far more demanding than his human co-stars. In fact, during Q&A sessions, every time Bing moved, the audience would coo in unison, prompting Murray to joke, “I told them not to bring out the dog yet!”

As a self-proclaimed “dog person,” Bill Murray has always believed that dogs have an uncanny ability to read people. “Dogs have a pretty good sense of who’s OK,” Murray muses. “I’ve met many thousands of people, and there’s a real high number I wouldn’t trust. But as far as dogs, there’s maybe only been, like, three.” For Murray, a dog’s loyalty and perceptiveness are qualities to admire—and Bing has those qualities in spades.

The filmmakers, Scott McGehee and David Siegel, knew Bing was the perfect fit for the role the moment they met him. After an exhaustive nationwide search, they discovered Bing and his owner, Klingensmith, in Des Moines, Iowa. “We kind of knew right away,” McGehee recalls. The pandemic delayed production, but Bing’s maturation during that time was a blessing in disguise. By the time filming began, he was the perfect age for the role.

McGehee compares Bing to a Hollywood heartthrob, saying, “If you see George Clooney in person, it’s like he attracts light in a special way. Bing has that.”

Bing’s journey to the big screen was no accident—he trained diligently for the role, thanks to the guidance of trainer Bill Berloni. Though Klingensmith was initially unaware of the full scope of the publicity blitz, she soon saw how much Bing loved being part of the process. “He loves to do things. The days where he had really active behaviors were his favorites,” she says. After all, what dog doesn’t enjoy spending all day with their favorite human?

For Watts, working with Bing was a delight. The film focuses heavily on the dynamic between Iris and Apollo, with much of the film unfolding through their interactions. Bing’s expressiveness was key in conveying the emotional depth of the story. Watts recalls, “He was a very curious dog, and he did really look at you with attention. I found him a pure delight to work with.”

As the film’s star, Bing performs with an authenticity that even Murray finds impressive. “The dog gives an amazing performance,” Murray exclaims. “When I first saw some of the cut footage, I realized the dog had been listening to everything that’s going on in every scene. The dog’s reactions to what’s happening in the scene are better than many actors or actresses I’ve worked with.”

This brings up a question many viewers might ponder: Can dogs act? The Friend certainly makes a compelling case for it. Bing’s reactions to his co-stars’ emotions are as nuanced and powerful as any human actor’s, and that’s what makes the film so special.

As with many dog-centered movies, there’s always concern about the fate of the four-legged star. The Friend plays with this tradition, assuring audiences early on that—unlike in the book—Apollo survives the journey. “Very early on, we were like, ‘We cannot kill the dog,’” McGehee laughs.

For a movie about navigating grief, The Friend offers one important concession: the dog makes it. This is a small but significant gesture, providing comfort to those who have experienced loss, whether of a pet or a person. “People have lost dogs and felt like this. People have lost people and felt like this, and their only solace has been a dog,” Murray reflects. “The movie really bangs on both sides of the animal kingdom.”

In the end, The Friend isn’t just about the human characters’ journey through grief—it’s also about the power of animal companionship and the healing that comes from the unconditional love of a very good boy.