This is definitely the ascendent age of the nepo baby actor. I wonder if it was only a genealogical or statistical inevitability that their numbers would rise, given the relative youth of the film industry, but I’m already maxed out on my mathing for the day. While we’ve been focused on kids and grandkids entering the family business, though, dogs have stealthily entered the fray too. Which is how Roy Hawn Russell, dog-son of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, landed his first professional gig in the most high profile way possible: starring as the hero in a Super Bowl commercial. For Budweiser. And a pack of no-name Labrador Retrievers yowled at their misfortune…
Roy Hawn Russell is the buzziest nepo-dog on the block who, according to his owners [Goldie] Hawn and [Kurt] Russell, starred in an ad for Budweiser that aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII.
“Don’t get me wrong I love watching football but tonight was all about watching our dog Roy Hawn Russell star in his first superbowl commercial,” Hawn wrote on her Instagram page alongside a video of the family watching the ad and celebrating their good boy.
Hawn’s daughter, actress Kate Hudson, also posted a video on her Instagram page showcasing the attendees at their family’s Super Bowl watch party reacting to the adorable Labrador Retriever’s on-screen debut.
In her video, Russell hilariously was captured telling Roy that he was just “in front of more people than any actor in this family has ever been in front of at one time” after they watched the ad air during the big game.
The whole family is seen gathering around Roy giving him plenty of pats and pets, praising him as they celebrated his closeup.
“There’s a lot of thespians in this families [sic] but tonight there was only one star,” Hudson wrote in the caption.
Roy’s Super Bowl ad was for beer company Budweiser. The spot featured the return of Budweiser’s Clydesdales, who saddled up to deliver kegs of beer along a snowy mountain pass “the old school way.”
When the pack appear to lose their way due to low visibility, Roy saves the day and leads the Clydesdales to their final destination.
Give this dog an Oscar already.
Was Roy really Oscar-worthy in the ad? I mean sure, he’s cute — he’s a Labrador Retriever, all he has to do is show up and 90% of the work is done. Still, he twirls, he scampers, he stares off into space with a thoughtful expression, and at the end he kisses a horse. He’s the canine Jamie Dornan. Both Goldie’s and Kate’s Insta videos show the whole family watching the ad and then lavishing praise on Roy. To be fair, Roy seems genuinely humbled and stunned by all the attention. The fame hasn’t gone to his tail — yet. But my heart goes out to another canine in the house. Caught in the background in multiple shots is a chihuahua (name and parentage not known at this time), and that poor dog has a face that can only be described as communicating “Da f–k? I’m right here. Quit stomping on me on your way to fawning over that idiot!” There really is a moment where this chihuahua has to hot-foot-it out of the way of a two-legger trying to get to Roy. Finally someone in a red sweater starts giving the poor pup some scritches. I only hope the kid was also offered a drink — just not Budweiser.
Photos are screenshots from YouTube and via Instagram/Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson
This will be the best thing I read today. Thank you for writing this post. I support Roy and any future projects he stars in especially featuring his Mom and Dad. 💛
Agreed. The write up is so cute & funny! I love a good laugh while having my morning coffee.
Nepo pups selling woke beer? I’m here for it. 🤣
We had a yellow lab that passed away two years ago so when we saw this commercial we were ALL about it. We still have a chocolate lab and he’s my baby, but there’s something about a yellow lab for me.
I love the idea of a nepo-dog, lol.
Too funny. Justice for the chihuahua!
Love that little Chihuahua! Probably spent its whole little life trying to avoid getting stepped on! What cute videos, the little kids were so excited!
Not gonna lie.. the Budweiser commercials have always been my favourite SB commercial. Nepo dog or not, I loved this, lol
Part of me thinks this is absolutely adorable. Part of me wishes they had pulled a just-as-cute shelter pup for the job. Roy already has a wonderful life, with people who love and care for him. Putting a shelter dog (or a dog in foster that is sufficiently trained to do the work) in that role would have gotten that pup adopted and into a good home.
Very cool! Dog power!
Let’s be honest, he’s very cute and likable, but there’s no way he would have got that role without his famous parents, not in a million years. Because there’s nothing that special about him, he’s just a Lab. Yes he has beautiful tender eyes and very handsome profile and gorgeous floppy ears, but still.
🙂
We had a yellow lab. His name was Budweiser, buddy for short. We don’t drink bud, but our friend had a yellow lab names Molsen Golden so it was funny to us.