Tonic, one of the five Maine Coons who play Pet Sematary’s zombie feline Church, is the latest cat to get all gussied up for the red carpet. Donning a charming plaid tie, Tonic joined his owners at the Brooklyn Horror Fest. Tonic was following in the pawprints of Reggie, one of the cats in Captain Marvel, who also went semi-formal to his premiere. Salem from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was a little more daring at his premiere and opted to go nude. Twitter is going nuts for these little stars.
But what’s with all this animal actor infatuation? The trend of animal stans (stanimals) started last year with Olivia, the dog who stole scenes in Game Night and Widows. Olivia’s first superfan was Viola Davis: “Within the first five minutes, I’m kissing the dog, I’m holding the dog, the dog was on my chest,†she said. “I love that dog, and she came to me so easily.†But why the press push for these pets? Could it be cynical media conglomerates knowing that these animals will get shared on social media and serve as free advertising. Surely not. Look at that little bowtie!