B.C. llama named Todd works as screen actor, rests in hotel room
Although he’s not being pestered by paparazzi or fending off fans now, Bonnie Nicholls says the llama that she’s walking down the street with is just as leisurely in the limelight.
“He’s very easy going,” says the llama wrangler from the Fat Chance Ranch. “He’s a crowd pleaser.”
Although the llama was named after the fox in the classic Disney movie “The Fox and the Hound,” Todd never sought out screen stardom.
“It started with us going out and about in the community,” Bonnie says.
She and Todd would attend fundraisers and visit seniors' centres to lift people’s spirits.
“He loves visiting everyone,” Bonnie smiles. “The word got out that he’s just so much fun.”
Word got out that not only was there no drama with this llama, Todd had that star quality that people couldn’t get enough of.
“[He’s] like a bag of chips,” Bonnie says. “You can’t just have one. You have to have the whole bag.”
A whole lot of productions started casting Todd. Bonnie says the llama’s been seen on screen more than 20 times, from Disney Channel movies to Walmart commercials.
Todd’s currently filming the Hallmark series "Holidaze." Behind-the-scenes photos from the set show that the crew, from craft services to the audio department, is going la-la for the llama. There’s even one picture showing the first assistant director and Todd exchanging a kiss.
“It’s almost like when you bring a baby into a room and it’s like the whole room lights up,” Bonnie says. “You bring a llama into the room and the same thing happens.”
When he’s done working on-set, Bonnie brings Todd back to the hotel.
“The staff here are amazing,” Bonnie says of her stay at Victoria’s Accent Inn. “They not only accommodate the two-legged role, but the four-legged folk.”
Then again, Todd is house-trained. The llama also never makes diva-like demands, despite having a propensity to pause and appreciate his appearance in the mirror above the sink.
“He thought that was pretty cool,” Bonnie says, as the llama walks past the bed and kitchenette to look at himself in the full-length mirror too.
Then the llama lies down on the floor, beside the bed (which he’s more than half the size of) and prepares for some leisure time.
At the end of the day, Todd enjoys spending some of his free time snacking out of a bowl, watching TV, and commenting on what he sees.
“He’s chatting,” Bonnie says of the slightly high-pitched purring sounds that Todd makes. “He’s kind of a talker.”
And as for the llama’s entourage of one, Bonnie kisses the soft white fur around his face and describes herself as “Todd’s mom.”
Like most moms, Bonnie couldn’t be more proud that her little Todd has grown up to be a down-to-earth star, making everyone he meets feel like they’re in “Shangri-llama.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Whooping cough outbreak declared in Newfoundland
Health officials say there is an outbreak of whooping cough in eastern Newfoundland.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.