I Am Legend star Will Smith praises Abbey the dog, his beloved co-star in the 2007 hit film. Loosely based on the 1954 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson, the film followed virologist Robert Neville (Will Smith) as he resided in the detritus of New York after it was broken down by a zombie-like plague. The film opened to solid reviews and grossed $585 million at the global box office. For the bulk of the film, Smith’s Robert was accompanied by a German Shepherd named Samantha.

In an episode of First We Feast’s Hot Ones, Smith recalled his former co-star, Abbey the German Shepherd, while toiling over spicy chicken wings. He shared that he nearly adopted the dog after being impressed with her ability to respond to commands for their scenes. Read the quote and check out the full video below:

“Yes. Yes. It was like Abbey spoke English… You could say, “hey Abby do you see where I left my phone.” Like, she literally could understand you, it was the weirdest thing. Abby was the breadwinner of her family. She had to stay. It was really amazing to watch how the scene where she bites bites bites where we have to do the scene where I choke her out and she lays out. Abby’s doing that. He trained Abby to go limp and I laid her. Like how do you train a dog to go limp. She would bite bite bite bite and he would say Abby die. And she would go… and I laid her down. It was like working with a brilliant actress.”

Samantha’s I Am Legend Death Still Hits Hard 17-Years Later

Samantha Was A Loyal Companion To Robert.

In I Am Legend, Samantha features prominently in the first half of the movie, showcasing her close dynamic with her owner as they deal with the post-apocalyptic world of the spreading virus. The dog is important because she is all that Robert has left, considering he lost his wife and child when the virus broke out. Therefore, it’s no surprise that she is a memorable character due to her loyalty to Robert, especially in the major moment when Samantha saves Robert from the infected canine.

However, Samantha’s devastating fate in the movie’s second act remains one of the saddest animal deaths, even after almost twenty years. After the dog itself becomes infected with the virus, the protagonist tries to save the dog with a potential cure, which proves unsuccessful. The scene culminates with Robert having to snap Samantha’s neck out of mercy, a visual and sound that remains to have impacted many viewers today. Despite how much the death has affected viewers, Samantha’s death doesn’t go in vain, as it remains a crucial sacrifice in the movie to help restore humanity.

The film’s sad ending, where Robert sacrifices his life to save the future of humanity and Anna (Alice Braga), almost denounces any clear chance of a sequel. I Am Legend 2, however, will have Smith returning and even have Michael B. Jordan joining the cast. The latest updates say that the sequel’s script is currently being worked on and that it will follow the alternate I Am Legend ending, where Robert survives. Hopefully, this also means that the sequel will dedicate time to reflecting on Samantha’s legacy and sacrifice.

Source: First We Feast