Pets have long ceased to be just companions to Hollywood stars—they have become book characters, subjects of fashion photo shoots, and even regular talk show guests. The Wave RBC.UA editorial team has gathered ten stories about how famous actors and actresses met their pets and what made them famous. The selection features a cat rescued from a shelter in 2023, a poodle that got its own Vogue special project cover, and a bearded dragon that Drew Barrymore introduced to Jack Black and Paul Rudd right in the studio.
Cats that moved from the set to home
One of the most touching stories involves Sarah Jessica Parker. The kitten her character Carrie Bradshaw adopted in the series And Just Like That... was called Shu on screen, but got the name Lotus at home. The actress and her husband Matthew Broderick rescued the cat from a shelter in 2023, where he and his brothers, rescued as newborns, were named after plants. Lupita Nyong'o, conversely, came to cats through fear: preparing for her role in A Quiet Place: Day One, where her character survives alongside a cat named Frodo, the actress had to get used to these animals. Later, she fostered a ginger cat named Yoyo and, as she told Glamour, realized within two days that she would keep him. Meanwhile, Catwoman star Zoe Saldana found a cat with four kittens in her yard: she kept two—Boots and Coco—and found homes for the rest. In 2026 on Drew Barrymore's show, the actress noted that she continues to help kittens she finds in her neighborhood.
Dogs that inspired creativity and tattoos
Chris Evans met his future beloved pet during the filming of a scene for the movie Gifted at an animal shelter in Georgia. The actor named the dog Dodger after the Disney cartoon character Oliver & Company from his childhood, and later tattooed the name on his chest and published a photo where the dog settled right on top of the lettering. Jennifer Aniston, who rescued three dogs—Schnauzer mix Clyde, white pit bull Sophie, and Lord Chesterfield, adopted as a puppy in 2020—was inspired specifically by Clyde. His fictional alter ego Clydeo first appeared in animated shorts and later became the hero of the children's book Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life.
Pets that work alongside the stars
Zendaya's schnauzer has a full name — Noon Coleman. In a conversation with Vanity Fair, the actress shared that he has been with her since puppyhood and has visited many film sets, jokingly noting that Noon more readily chooses the company of Tom Holland or her mother. Speaking with Robert Pattinson, Zendaya called gourmet meals with vitamin supplements for her dogs the most "Hollywood" of her habits. Miniature poodle Winnie traveled with Millie Bobby Brown on shoots, appeared on Jimmy Fallon's show, and got her own Dogue cover—a Vogue special project. According to the actress, during panic attacks, Winnie puts her paws on her chest to help her calm down, and on a farm in Georgia loves sneaking under the fence to the pigs and rolling in the mud with them.
Exotics in Drew Barrymore's studio
Drew Barrymore's house is a veritable zoo: besides her dog Douglas, whom she brings to her talk show tapings, she lives with cats Peach, Lucky, Big Kitty, and Little Kitty. In December 2025, the host showed two blue budgerigars that had settled right in her hair, and in September 2026 brought a bird named Melody to the show, which flew away mid-conversation with Dave Franco. When Jack Black and Paul Rudd came to talk about Anaconda, Barrymore introduced them to a bearded dragon named Jeremy. She also wanted to bring a snake named Lemon to the studio, but according to the host, it escaped from its terrarium again. Earlier, in 2024, the actress told People that her daughter Olive won a snake named Cecil in a school raffle and brought it home.
How stars find "their" pets
Stories of Hollywood stars meeting their animals often begin with the most unexpected conversations. Sydney Sweeney adopted Tank when she was about 16, and her German Shepherd Sally came into her life after she described an ideal guy to a friend—devoted, playful, and ready to cuddle. The friend asked if she was looking for a dog, after which Sweeney found Sally through a classifieds site, as the actress told Cosmopolitan. Glen Powell saw a photo of Brisket on the Instagram page of a dog rescue organization: right during the filming of Twisters, he flew to Los Angeles for the weekend to pick up the puppy. Brisket quickly settled on set, met the crew, and fell asleep in Powell's chair, and for the movie's release, Entertainment Weekly made a separate digital cover out of photos featuring him.
