Nicolas Cage is the top-billed actor in Pig (the most critically-acclaimed movie in his Oscar-winning career), but everyone knows the film’s real star is the titular truffle-hunting pig, played by Brandy. Sadly, as director Michael Sarnoski revealed in a recent interview with the Film Stage, Brandy passed away last year.
“She got a jaw infection, actually, at the beginning of COVID, and the sad thing is because of COVID all of the vets weren’t taking, like, new clients, so they couldn’t treat her. So she passed away, which was really sad,” he said. That’s a bummer, but there is some happy news. “She actually was pregnant while we were shooting Pig, so she does have some piglets still running around today,” Sarnoski added.
Cage (who’s truly excellent in the film) was asked about Pig getting Oscar buzz at Monday’s Gotham Awards. “Any kind of enthusiasm is always welcome,” he told ET Online. “But the reality is, it’s all about telling stories that communicate with the people. And I think this movie did, and that’s what we brought, and that’s good enough for me.” Even if Cage isn’t nominated, Brandy better show up during the In Memoriam.
Pig is available on VOD. You can read our interview with the film’s food consultant here.
(Via the Film Stage)