Interview With The Joy Crew: Acclaimed Canine Actors and Stunt Dog Champions

From playing Sydney Sweeney’s dog and cracking a beer with Jimmy Fallon to starring in a Superbowl commercial and winning multiple trick and stunt championships, this canine crew has quite the busy schedule. But since they’re very good boys and not just very talented boys, they all sat down with us for an interview! With permission from the also very talented Chrissy Joy (their trainer and momager) we got to discuss directly with Beasley, Darby, Whidbey, and Fuji.

Beasley – The OG rescue mutt

Celebrity Pets: First up, with have the legend himself, the Joy Crew OG… Good Beasley! Please start us off with your adoption story and puppyhood.

Beasley: Thanks for having us. My story started in 2014 when I was adopted as a puppy from a Pennsylvania rescue. I came into Chrissy’s life at a time when she had a lot of anxiety and depression and she told me that I changed her world in just a matter of moments. So we both credit each other with saving each other’s lives.

I’ve had to deal with many hardships, including IBD, a cortisol insufficiency, and a lot of anxiety. It took many trials and tests to find a good balance for my health. Today I take certain medicines and a diet that helps keep everything balanced. But thankfully I’m thriving today at almost 10 years old!

CP: Daniel Craig as James Bond. Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt. Beasley as Agent Toby Barks. How does it feel to be among Hollywood’s favorite secret agents? And what was it like having a leading role as an action star?

Beasley: Being a leading canine is a big challenge! We had no backup dog in case things went south, so I had to be on my A game. But I nailed every trick and finished the film in a month’s time, despite some grueling overnight shoots. Some of the tricks were super challenging, but I did every stunt myself! Today, it’s a really fun movie to suggest to kids who are excited to meet The Joy Crew.

CP: This Chewy commercial looked like fun. What’s it like working with other dogs and also human children?

Beasley: Whenever we work in a scene with other dogs and kids – we’ are’re careful to have everyone meet and be sure it will be a good fit. A lot of times the scene is carefully planned out for each action – the timing, movement, and all. However, the crazy scene of me running through the fray with the kids and Following Felix the Pug – was totally improvised! It was fun to just let loose and see what happened!

CP: In 2018, you became the first National Stunt Dog Champion at 4 years old. Then in 2021, you became the International Trick Dog Champion. Congrats! I see they both involved an incredible variety of tricks – How was the experience training for you and your mom?

Beasley: It was hard work! I did get lots of cheese though… my favorite! Mom worked hard on making the props and getting help from friends. Once the stage was set with ideal props, it was my turn to work hard learning each prop. Together we built a special story surrounding anti-bullying and how dogs change our lives. It was very meaningful – mom would shed a tear! Together we had a perfect performance and won!

Food helps! (Just kidding) Honestly it’s from the love, protection, and care from our Dog Mom. Training, working, and just being a dog means there is a lot of balance and careful planning done to be sure we are all healthy – both physically and mentally.

Beasley, on overcoming health issues to become a susccessful actor and stage performer

CP: You’re also known as wise gentleman – What advice would you give to young pups aspiring to become actors or trick performers?

Beasley: Trust the process! Being a puppy means that there is a lot to learn from the humans and other dogs. Do your best and be open to learning something new! That may mean even wearing silly clothes sometimes. Trust me, the treats are worth it! Don’t forget to ask for snuggles if your pet parent feels down. Sometimes life is hard. Your DogMom or DogDad is trying their best for you.

CP: Being the old (but still very good) dog of the pack, what activities do you enjoy just to kick back and relax?

Beasley: Well, I am retired from live shows. Now I sit at home and relax in the sun on my lounge chair! Otherwise, I love making silly trick videos for my mom – she says, “Social loves Beasley”- whoever “Social” is. I also still love to do set work – we just wrapped a movie late last year!

Darby – Fast and fierce

CP: Now onto Darling Darby. So Darby, how would your mom describe your personality and quirks?

Darby: I am the wild child. I am 0-100mph. However, I promise to always give 100%!

CP: Darby, you’ve already stacked up an impressive list of acting credits, including acting alongside one of the biggest stars in Hollywood in Reality. How was playing Sydney Sweeney’s dog and getting to know her to prepare for the role? And did you meet her IRL dog, Tank?

Darby: I didn’t get to meet Tank, but I heard a lot about him! Mom and Sydney would chat about dogs between takes. She is super nice and very comfortable working with dogs. One thing we had to practice was excessive barking behind a fence. Also, my mom would be incredibly far away so that I could barely see her. A good challenge, but we nailed it!

I am the wild child. I am 0-100mph. However, I promise to always give 100%!

Darby, when asked to address his reputation as the ‘bad boy’ of the crew

CP: Then in Junkyard Dogs, you and Beasley acted alongside Denise Richards. What was it like acting alongside a Hollywood icon?

Darby: It can be stressful! This movie had a ton of moving parts. Also, working a few of us dogs in the same scene is tricky. Each of us has our own cue and words… and trainer! So it was a good challenge for the trainers to figure out how to make each scene work. Denise is a huge dog lover and was so patient and caring for us throughout the whole movie.

CP: And you had a hilarious role in Good Burger 2. How was filming this scene?

Darby: Well, I got to do my favorite thing! TUG! We didn’t get a whole lot of prep time, so I really had to trust Mom and follow her guide. We worked hard at home, but sometimes the scene changes and the rush makes it impossible to have time to get acquainted. So we were whisked on set to meet Kenan after a short practice, but I had a great time tugging his pants! In the later takes I actually ripped them apart!

CP: You’ve also appeared in plenty of experience commercials. Can you walk us through the scene below?

Darby: Sure thing! I had to start at a mark on top of the stairs and only come down the stairs on “action.” Also, I had to follow a certain speed. I know how fast I can run, so I had to be careful not to be too speedy on these slippery stairs!

CP: What’s the story behind recording this song? And when’s the album dropping?

Darby: This was such a fun idea and concept from the NY Lottery! All of these dogs in the commercial are my friends. It was important that we knew each other before filming. It’s a good thing to like your co-stars in the dog actor world. We had some fun challenging tricks to do in very tight scenes. The hardest part? Performing our tricks while looking at the glass – but we couldn’t see our trainers! The glass was a one-way view. So that added to our training challenges on set. Album for 2025? Maybe!

CP: Like Beasley, you’re also a record-setter, but you got off to an early start. How did it feel to become the Youngest Champion Trick Dog in the world at only 9 weeks old? And how did you master such impressive skills at a young age?

Darby: I love to learn! You’ll learn that I am probably the happiest dog you’ll meet. I love action, and more action after that! I took to training really quickly because I am like a sponge. Mom was very clear and patient and I was eager to do everything all the time. It is all by using treats or toys, which keeps me eager to do more.

Whidbey – Gentle and goofy

CP: Now we have Wonderful Whidbey. So what’s the deal with your name? And using “Kevin Bacon” as your stage name?

Whidbey: Whidbey is a name that is meaningful to our family. Mom and Dad used to live on Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington State. However, soon after getting the name, we learned people had trouble pronouncing it. On set, it would be confused with Wimpy, Wibbly, Whippy, Witby, and other names. Once I learned how to dance and fell in love with tricks, a family member made a joke that I should just be called Kevin Bacon… and it stuck! So on set/stage we like to use my nickname Kevin!

CP: Remember that time you cracked a cold one with Jimmy Fallon? Please tell us more about that fun day.

Whidbey: It was a whirlwind! Mom was a lil’ stressed. Beasley was going to be the dog, but a cracked nail meant we pulled him. So I had to perfect and learn the tricks in a matter of 2 days. Once we arrived, we had a bobbly rehearsal and they asked to change our props a little for the show. This could mean failure after I just got used to them! However, the art team did such a good job. I loved meeting Jimmy and aced all my tricks. I still think his favorite part was me giving him my pawshake.

CP: Like your half-brother Darby, you’ve also starred in quite a few commercials. One of your career highlights has to be your role in a Superbowl commercial for Dawn Dishsoap. How was that experience? And did you request extra takes of you licking up the strawberry jam?

Whidbey: This was such a fun commercial! I loved having the jam and they were extra careful to use jam that was safe for me to eat. Remember, artificial sweeteners are scary unsafe for dogs. Not just the jam was fun, but also getting to have muddy paws in the house, too!

CP: On that note, I heard you’re into sports. So what are you into?

Whidbey: There is nothing more I love than to skateboard! It’s one of my favorite tricks! I am learning to steer now, too. Can’t wait to start using the ramps!

And while you always see us playing extreme sports and hitting big tricks, our job isn’t always so exciting. I even sometimes help mom out with admin!

Fiji – Small size with big moves

CP: Now onto Fantastic Fuji! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Fuji: I am a mini aussie/border collie/papillon! That’s why I have the coolest tail. I am just over one year old. I am loving, mischievous, and eager to play and learn.

It’s been a trip! Mom does a lot of trick training with me! It took me a while to find my confidence and trust in people and with the frisbee. Now, I love it all! And I’m learning many dance moves and some cool new tricks for set and stage.

Fuji, on training and the pressure of working with such accomplished canines

CP: And how way shooting your very first commercial? Were you nervous at all?

Fuji: It was fun! I was just a baby here. Mom is so proud of how I handled so many new and challenging tasks on set. I trust my mom so I wasn’t nervous at all. I also loved all of the treats. It did show me how tiring a day on set can be. Mom was careful to have me rest between our different scenes.

CP: And I heard rumors you guys are starting a pawdcast?

Fuji: There is a strong PAWssibility! For now, you can listen to our mom’s podcast called The DogMoms on DOGTV!

Journey – The new guy

CP: And last but not least, the new pup to the crew, Journey! he’s still being trained to answer interview questions, so we’ll have to get back to him another time.

Thanks for all of your time! And make sure to visit them at chrissyjoy.com and follow @thejoycrew on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.