Some of my most unforgettable moments on set came not from stunts or drama, but from working with animals.
On one of the film sets I worked on, I ended up draping a beautiful black Boa constrictor around my neck. I have to say—he looked really good on me. People often assume snakes are slimy, but they’re not, not at all. The texture is something else—smooth, firm, almost silky. You can understand why people have been obsessed with snakeskin for belts, purses, shoes, even boots. It’s not slimy; it’s a tactile pleasure, like holding a piece of living jewelry.
Then there were the baby leopards. Tiny, furry, utterly adorable… until they yawn. That’s when you see those razor-sharp canines, and their little paws stretch out into serious claws. Terrifying, but still so beautiful that you want to cuddle them anyway. You’re caught in that delicate balance of awe and fear, and somehow it makes you appreciate every second of it even more.
And then there was Bongo the lion, a television series one-episode wonder who completely stole the show. The set was ready: miles of track laid down by the grips for a long dolly shot, the camera gliding closer and closer as Bongo entered the frame. And then… he turned around, lifted his tail, and sprayed everyone and everything in range. Lions pee horizontal, and they cover an impressive distance.
We realized when we lined up the shot again that he was going to do it again, and we learned our lesson the hard way. That’s when the grips invented what would forever be known as the Bongo Deflectors—crew shields designed to save cameras and crew from a second soaking. But this didn’t stop Bongo from doing his stunt with us. It was almost like he was on strike, like he didn’t want to work that day. Every time the dolly rolled, the crew had to be ready for him, and somehow, despite all the chaos, you couldn’t help but admire him. He was magnificent, powerful, completely in charge of his little kingdom on set. That’s a Polaroid of Bongo and myself at the top of the page.
And finally a romantic encounter. Outdoors, fall, Ontario, shooting day into night at some zoo. Then came the torrential rainfall—mud everywhere. Trailers and the generator truck stuck. All lights turned off for safety. Early wrap. The crew took shelter in a massive wooden shack built for the wilder animals. And that’s when I met him. Pacing inside its enclosure, eyes like molten gold. We stared at each other, and somehow, it became hypnotic. Exhausted, wet, sleep-deprived… I wanted to crawl into that cage, curl up beneath that big furry powerful and enigmatic tiger, and stay there forever. My colleagues noticed I lingered too long. “Maddie,” they said, “you look like you want to crawl in there…” And yes. Yes, I did. Terrifying. Beautiful. Magnetic. Hypnotic.
Working with animals on set left me with a profound sense of wonder. And whether it’s a boa around my neck, a tiny leopard clawing at my fingers, a lion staging a strike, or a hypnotic tiger locking eyes with me in the rain, those are the moments I remember—long after the cameras stopped rolling.
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