How Oscars crew filmed Messi the dog from Anatomy of a Fall before clapping canine stole the show in now viral clip

The viral video showing Messi the dog, one of the stars of the hit Anatomy of a Fall, clapping along with his fellow Oscar attendees was actually filmed hours earlier. 

The Hollywood Reporter's Chris Gardner recorded Messi, along with his handler, Laura Martin Contini, sat among a small group of people who were directed to clap in a largely empty Dolby Theatre during a rehearsal for the big show.  

During the broadcast, the cameras cut away away to the celebrity pooch, who appeared to be 'clapping' as Robert Downey Jr. collected his Best Supporting Actor trophy for Oppenheimer. 

To hide the rouse, the cameras then cut away to Barbie star Ryan Gosling, who appeared to be marveling at Messi's respectful clapping. 

Gardner initially tweeted that the Messi seen on screen was really a lookalike however he later corrected himself to say that it was in fact the real canine. 

The real footage shot by Chris Gardner shows the empty seats around Messi as the camera panned on to him 

The pooch was sat with his trainer Laura Martin Contini during the segment 

Messi earned viral fame at the Oscars after he was seen 'clapping' for Robert Downey Jr as he won Best Supporting Actor 

Messi was out and about in the City of Angels with his trainer before the big show 

Adding to seven-year-old Messi's rising profile was a mention by host Jimmy Kimmel in his opening monologue, with the comedian joking that Messi 'gave the performance of the year'. 

'Messi, who even though he’s a dog, may have given the performance of the year in Anatomy of a Fall,' Kimmel joked. 'Messi has an overdose scene, if you’ve seen it you’ve known it. It’s incredible.

'Honestly I haven’t seen a French actor eat his own vomit like that since Gérard Depardieu.'

Messi's attendance at the ceremony came as a surprise to fans - after it was reported just days before the awards show that the French-based pooch would not travel to Los Angeles for the Oscars, despite already earning himself a reputation as one of this season's most beloved guests. 

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, a source from Anatomy of a Fall claimed that Border Collie Messi would not travel from his native France to California for the awards show. 

However on Sunday, Messi's trainer Laura Martin Contini posted photos showing her with the dog in Los Angeles. The pair posed for a picture on Sunset Boulevard before heading to rehearsals. 

Laura was sat far back in the audience during the actual taping of the ceremony. 

Hours before the ceremony kicked off, Messi appeared in an Instagram video posted by Jimmy, in which the host was seen running several jokes from his opening monologue past the pup for his approval, with the canine barking his delight at an anecdote in which he was mentioned. 

Hours before the ceremony, Messi appeared in a video posted to host Jimmy Kimmel's Instagram account, in which the comedian was seen running jokes past the pup 

Earlier this year, Messi's trainer Laura (left) opened up about his sudden fame, explaining that the attention on her pup began at Cannes - but quickly skyrocketed in the US

Messi's role sees him forced to play dead for several minutes, a feat that his trainer Laura admitted was no small feat

 Earlier this year, Messi's trainer Laura opened up about his sudden fame, explaining that the attention on her pup began at Cannes - but quickly skyrocketed in the US. 

'All of this attention began at Cannes,' she told The Hollywood Reporter. 

'There were a few interviews in France but what we’ve been experiencing here in America — with the attention to this dog and his acting — it’s beyond anything we anticipated. It’s probably the maximum that you can accomplish in this field.'

In Anatomy of a Fall, Messi plays a guide dog named Snoop, who is owned by blind character Daniel, played by actor Milo Machado-Graner. 

Messi's role sees him forced to play dead for several minutes, a feat that his trainer Laura admitted was no small feat, explaining to IndieWire that the pup had gone through rigorous preparation for the role.  

'Even the simplest things take a lot of work,' she said. 'It had to happen in steps. First, the simple laying down and having his head kind of immobile. [I] started there and then [we worked on] lifting the head and just letting it fall back without resistance.'

After proving his acting chops in the five-time Oscar-nominated movie, Messi earned a place among some of this year's biggest stars when he was invited to the annual nominees' luncheon in Los Angeles - earning some one-on-one time with several A-list stars. 

'The big moment was with Billie Eilish, who bonded with Messi for almost 10 minutes,' trainer Laura told The Hollywood Reporter. 

'They were hugging and petting and they really had a vibe. Then Bradley Cooper bumped into him in the hallway. The dog went right to him, so they also had a connection.'

At that same event, Ryan was once again filmed having a heartwarming interaction with the pup, putting his hand over his chest with emotion when he was introduced to Messi for the first time. 

Although Messi was not nominated for an Oscar, much to the upset of his biggest fans, he did walk away from this year's Cannes Film Festival with an unofficial trophy: the Palm Dog.