Tom Hanks’ Toughest Scene Proves Why Animals Are Hard to Film

They say you should never work with animals or kids in Hollywood, and there's a reason for it—these furry and/or young stars have strict shooting schedules and can be tough to wrangle, often making your days very long and stressful.

Actor Tom Hanks learned this the hard way.

In 2023, while doing press for A Man Called Otto, Hanks spoke with Collider about his toughest scene he's ever had to pull off. Hanks recalled one of his early scenes with Beasley the dog, who was his costar in Turner & Hooch. Specifically, it was when he collared the dog and tried to get him in his car.

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"Just go back and look at it," Hanks said. "It was the most physical, exhausting, time-consuming thing. And because it could only happen in the real world, this is not a moment of CGI to it, there's not a moment of a stuntman being involved in it. It was just me and Beasley, who was the dog who was playing Hooch at the time, and it was Steadicams, multiple, multiple versions of it."

It was a slightly complicated scene with lots of movement, and Hanks had to play a character who didn't like the dog while also (as a handler) being in complete control of him.

"The thing that was exhausting about it was, it was just me and that dog every step of the way. It happened in real-time, and it happened over a number of hours, and my body was beaten to a pulp by the time we got to the end, and it was also full energy the entire time. I had to be petrified of this dog at the same time I was commanding that dog. I don't know why—what year did we make that movie? I'll tell you, it was 33 years ago, and yet I still have tactile memories of how hard that shot was to get."

Tips for Working With Animals in Your Movie

Hanks' experience with Beasley reveals just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to working with animals on set.

Beyond the creative challenges, filmmakers must navigate a complex web of regulations, safety requirements, and practical considerations. Here are just a few things to keep in mind if you're thinking of tackling an animal character in your next project.

Register with Animal Monitoring Services

Organizations like the American Humane Association oversee animal welfare on film sets. Register your production with an animal monitoring service if you plan to have animals in your film, so you can earn the "No Animals Were Harmed" certification.

Registration should be done as soon as it's decided that animals will be working on set. Here's how to register your production.

Hire Qualified Animal Handlers

Use specialized handlers for each type of animal, and hire union handlers if you can. Animal handlers and trainers working in film and TV are usually represented by the Teamsters.

Schedule Extra Time and Have Production Flexibility

Adjust your entire production schedule to accommodate animal limitations. Animals work on their own timeline, not yours—which is part of what made Hanks' scene so demanding and time-consuming.

Check out nine more tips for working with animals on sets!