Eloise made New York’s Plaza Hotel what it is today for little girls… and their little pets. With her pug Weenie and turtle Skipperdee in tow, the star-studded made-for-TV movie Eloise at the Plaza has little darlings the country over and their furry someones pining for a vacation to the Big Apple to live the good life! Eloise, played by Sofia Vassilieva (The Brady Bunch in the White House) is attended to by her ever-loved nanny, played by acting legend, Julie Andrews. And she paints the town red in her utterly Eloise way, causing mischief and mayhem wherever she and her “mostly companion” nanny go.
It takes an animal lover to play an animal lover. Sofia’s own dog Mefodi (a Maltese) comes to the set with her every day. Mefodi and Weenie have not met yet, but Sofia says “I’m sure they would get along great!” Sofia loved the chance to act alongside the precocious pug and theatrical turtle.
And we got the scoop on Weenie the pug. There are actually two animal actors who play the role – Stanley and Jessabelle, littermates and fellow thespians. Says one of their animal wranglers Rick Parker, “both dogs do their jobs very well” – hitting all their cues. And as is expected of any pet at the Plaza Hotel, Rick assures that they all have very good table manners. Eloise at the Plaza will air in May on ABC.
