It’s not every bit-part actor who gets a pat on the head from Charles Dance or gets to share Olivia Colman’s dinner, but for labrador Rea and her mother Mole, it’s all part of a working day. These pedigree black labs were talent-spotted and propelled to stardom in the latest series of the hugely popular Netflix series The Crown. Their owner Tracey Kavanagh says: “It all happened so quickly and unexpectedly. We were taking part in an agility competition a couple of years ago. A lady came up, introduced herself as an animal film/TV agent, and said she was looking for well-behaved labradors to star in The Crown.”
Rea, who is new to the world of showbusiness, appeared in multiple scenes. She played the part of Lord Mountbatten’s dog. Charles Dance played Lord Mountbatten and was very much a hands-on owner. “You could tell he was fond of dogs,” says Tracey. “He made a point of asking to meet Rea before going on set.
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