Last Podcast On The Left Good Boy: An Interview with Ben Leonberg & Indy
Sep 29, 2025
Ben Leonberg, a rising director and producer known for the horror film Good Boy, joins his canine star, Indy, to discuss their unique filmmaking journey. They share behind-the-scenes stories about adapting to Indy's doggy whims and the emotional chemistry they created on set. Ben reveals his inspiration from dogs sensing the supernatural and how they shot with a dog's perspective. Plus, there's talk of the film's successful release and the real-life bond that translates to the big screen. Indy even steals a few laughs along the way!
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Filming Around A Dog Who Isn't An Actor
- Ben Leonberg describes Indy as a dog who "does not understand he's in a movie" and required building the film around him.
- Leonberg and his wife made production choices to capture authentic dog behavior rather than force trained tricks.
Home Training Led To Festival Buzz
- Indy was trained by Ben and his wife rather than using professional dog actors, which made his performance unique.
- Early festival reactions even nominated Indy for Best Actor and boosted momentum to make a feature.
Genuine Animal Performance Amplifies Emotion
- Leonberg highlights that Indy brings genuine, unmanufactured emotion because he is himself on camera.
- The film pairs Indy's real bond with a human performer to create authentic emotional beats.
