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WithinThe Banshees of Inisherin,Jenny is Padraics best friend.
Call it the price of raw, untapped talent this was Jennys first film set.
I met Jenny for the first time when she was only three years old, and she was green.
She knew nothing, explains Rita Moloney of Fircroft Animal Actors, located in County Kildare, Ireland.
Martin McDonagh, the first time he ever saw her, he just fell in love with her.
She was a miniature donkey, but she was different, because she wasverypetite.
As a breed specimen, she wasnt great.
You wouldnt show her, and she wasnt capable of doing much work.
It was exceptionally hard to try and find a match for Jenny, Rita says.
She was absolutely petite and absolutely perfect.
She had the donkey attitude, more diva than any of the actors or actresses.
And she knew she was different.
When Rosie arrived from England, she was a totally different kettle of fish.
Rosie was used to being around people.
It was amazing to see the difference.
Donkeys are fabulous animals, Rita says.
Theyre lovely but because really nobody gives them much attention, they know nothing.
A donkey is a donkey is a donkey.
They existed and led a life where they just did their job and that was it.
But what of Jennys on-set behavior and that kicking she gave her famous co-star?
She tried to give Minnie a little kick too.
But it wasnt aggression towards Colin.
It was a natural animal reaction.
Farrell doesnt feel that the incident affected their relationship, though he admits Jenny perhaps wasnt a natural actress.
Now Jenny … Im not sure she knew what her purpose was.
She didnt know what a piece of tape on the floor meant.
So howdoesone motivate a baby donkey with no acting experience to hit her mark?
Food motivation has its perils, Rita tells me.
So then we have to teach her that bullying for food doesnt give her a reward any faster.
Certainly, Rita along with fellowBansheesanimal handlers Mary Owens and Kenny Gracey pulled it off.
That was pure instinct.
I was a big fan of some of her acting choices.
Martin fell so in love with her that he never wanted her to work again, says Rita.
He asked if she could just do this movie, and then retire.
Now shes just a happy donkey running with other miniature donkeys.
Shes just living the dream.
