Pet Project Teaching Animals To Act!

It's Lights, Camera, Animals for Rosie the Wrangler

- Fleur Guthrie

Rosie Miles can regale you with stories of working with actors such as Tom Cruise and Ryan Gosling, but it’s her colourful account of getting caught up in a drama with a little-known actress called Carol that brings the most laughs.

After training animals for film and TV for more than 20 years, Rosie had never met a star who didn’t warm to her – until Carol the monkey, who was starring in a car commercial.

The furry wee diva had formed a close relationship with Rosie’s colleague, animal behaviourist Mark Vette, and wasn’t afraid to let others know.

“She loved him and was quite possessive because obviously Mark was her man,” says Rosie with a chuckle.

“One day, Carol was sitting on his shoulders, running her fingers through his hair, and when I walked into the barn, she gave me this expression that said, ‘Don’t even look at him.’

“I was feeling a little uncomfortable when suddenly she climbed down his body, ran across the floor and up my body.

She straddled my shoulders, dug two hands into my hair and shook my head violently. Then she ran back to Mark to climb up for a cuddle and smooth his hair, then looked at me like, ‘Did you get that memo?’”

It worked out for the best when producers later needed the monkey to look threateningly at someone.

“Guess who they chose? So Carol sat there giving me the evils! I was just so glad she didn’t bite me.”