Amy Adams’ transformation in Nightbitch didn’t just impress audiences—it left her canine costars bewildered. During the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Saturday, September 7, Adams and writer-director Marielle Heller shared how the actress’ powerful portrayal of a mother convinced she’s turning into a dog sent the trained animals into a frenzy.
Recalling a specific scene, Heller explained how the dogs reacted unexpectedly. “There’s a scene where Amy walks down the steps into the yard with all the dogs, and we’d rehearsed it over and over with the trainers,” Heller said during a post-screening Q&A. “But when Amy started acting, she was doing this intense stare at the dogs, and they freaked out. They actually started lunging at her.”
Adams, 50, admitted that one dog in particular wasn’t having it. “He was like, ‘That’s not okay, that’s not cool,'” Adams joked. Heller added, “It almost ruined the shoot. The trainers explained that the dogs thought she was stalking them. Her behavior was too odd, and it flipped them out. It was wild.”
Though the moment was chaotic, Adams managed to regain control. “We eventually got it under control,” the actress shared. “But one dog just didn’t trust me after that and had to sit out for the rest of the night.”
Based on Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel, Nightbitch follows a woman whose life takes a bizarre turn after she pauses her career to become a stay-at-home mom. Her new domestic routine soon spirals into surreal territory, leaving her to wonder if her transformation into a dog is real or imagined. Directed by Heller, the film also stars Scoot McNairy, Zoë Chao, and Jessica Harper.
Heller previously praised Adams’ commitment to the unconventional role, telling Vanity Fair in August, “She was this gorgeous movie star who was never allowed to look real, and she got to look real here.”
Adams herself reflected on the role’s intensity. “I wasn’t judging anything as it was happening,” she said of her character’s metamorphosis. “I wasn’t concerned with how I looked. I was just immersed in the role, and that can be both liberating and terrifying.”
Nightbitch marks Adams’ return to the screen after a brief hiatus. Her last major appearance was in 2022’s Disenchanted, the sequel to her 2007 Disney hit Enchanted. The Oscar-nominated actress has several projects lined up, including a role alongside Jenna Ortega in Klara and the Sun, directed by Taika Waititi.
Off-screen, Adams shares a close bond with her daughter, Aviana, 14, whom she welcomed with her husband, Darren Le Gallo. In a 2017 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Adams expressed her hope to inspire her daughter. “I want Aviana to know that she can soar and find her own light,” Adams said. “No light that shines on me creates a shadow for her to stand in.”
Adams’ portrayal in Nightbitch is already generating buzz, with her willingness to dive into a complex, animalistic role standing out as a highlight of this year’s TIFF.