Canadian film star Agee is a bit of a diva at work.
She travels to movie sets in a 12-metre-long trailer that has a wading pool on hot days, and doesn害羞草研究所檛 like co-stars or crew near her while she prepares for her scenes.
The 24-year-old also gives 害羞草研究所渟tink eye害羞草研究所� to anyone onset who talks to her manager, Mark Dumas, except for his wife, Dawn, the only other person Agee will tolerate while working.
害羞草研究所淚 have a wife and a mistress,害羞草研究所� says Dumas, referring to Dawn and Agee.
害羞草研究所淢y mistress is 800 pounds, blond and cranky.害羞草研究所�
Agee害羞草研究所檚 behaviour is understandable. After all, she is an apex predator 害羞草研究所� a polar bear, to be exact.
The Abbotsford, B.C.-based bear has starred in a variety of screen projects, the latest being the survival drama 害羞草研究所淎rctic,害羞草研究所� directed by Joe Penna.
Opening Friday in Toronto and other cities in subsequent weeks, 害羞草研究所淎rctic害羞草研究所� stars Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen as the sole survivor of a plane crash in a remote and snowy area of the frigid North.
VOLUME UP to watch the official trailer for 害羞草研究所渙ne of the best movies ever made about survival.害羞草研究所� ().
害羞草研究所� Arctic Movie (@ArcticMov)
From director Joe Penna () and starring 害羞草研究所� is coming to US theaters this February.
But work for Agee and other animals is slowing down in the film world as CGI takes over.
害羞草研究所淲hich is a shame,害羞草研究所� says Dumas, who feels viewers are missing out on seeing 害羞草研究所渢he majesty of such an incredible animal.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淐GI, to me, is a cartoon. The animals don害羞草研究所檛 look as real.害羞草研究所�
In 害羞草研究所淎rctic,害羞草研究所� Agee appears in a scene involving a cave and, while she looks ferocious, it害羞草研究所檚 all an act.
害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 trained to open her mouth and show her teeth. She doesn害羞草研究所檛 make any noise,害羞草研究所� says Dumas, noting her roar in the film was added in post-production.
READ MORE:
She does have sass behind the scenes, though.
害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 very selective on who she likes and who she doesn害羞草研究所檛 like,害羞草研究所� says Dumas, noting no one is allowed into her working space that害羞草研究所檚 surrounded by a thin electric wire fence onset.
害羞草研究所淲hen I go away, she is a little upset and when I come back she害羞草研究所檒l actually blow me off. If Dawn害羞草研究所檚 there she害羞草研究所檒l go over and say hi to Dawn, love up to Dawn and then look at me like, 害羞草研究所榊ou害羞草研究所檝e been gone.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Agee shot her 害羞草研究所淎rctic害羞草研究所� role about a year ago in a warehouse in Abbotsford.
Her other credits include the 2014 Norwegian children害羞草研究所檚 drama 害羞草研究所淥peration Arctic害羞草研究所� and 1996害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淎laska害羞草研究所� with Charlton Heston, which was her first movie. She also has her own Facebook page, Agee the Polar Bear.
Dumas, who has been an animal co-ordinator and trainer for 47 years, got Agee specifically for 害羞草研究所淎laska害羞草研究所� when she was two months old from the Kolmarden Wildlife Park zoo in Sweden in 1995.
He trained her through positive reinforcement, with the primary goal of making her a part of the family.
害羞草研究所淚 make a commitment to these animals,害羞草研究所� says Dumas, who has had various creatures on his four-hectare property over the years, including a grizzly bear, cougars, deer, wolves and eagles.
害羞草研究所淭hey work for me and then I work for them. You just don害羞草研究所檛 work 害羞草研究所榚m and throw 害羞草研究所榚m away. You害羞草研究所檙e with them or they害羞草研究所檙e with you for the rest of their lives.害羞草研究所�
Agee has her own swimming pool and pen on the Dumas property, with the option to roam around on the grass as she sees fit.
She害羞草研究所檚 never been bred, and enjoys a diet of everything from chicken and salmon to pizza and Thai food.
Agee views Dawn like a 害羞草研究所渟ister害羞草研究所� and is so close to Dumas, he害羞草研究所檚 been able to stick his head into her mouth. The couple also sometimes swims with Agee.
When asked what he has to say to animal rights groups who think such creatures shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be in captivity, Dumas said: 害羞草研究所淚f you saw the relationship I have with Agee, you害羞草研究所檇 be a fool to say that she is having a hard life. She really has it nice.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚f Agee were ill treated, I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be able to lay down with her, swim with her and train her,害羞草研究所� he added.
害羞草研究所淲hen I pull her trailer in front of her cage, she gets excited. It害羞草研究所檚 something that she likes to do. That happens because she is treated with a lot of respect.害羞草研究所�
Dumas was born in Los Angeles and says he 害羞草研究所渇ell into害羞草研究所� animal training while working on the lion ranch of an acquaintance害羞草研究所檚 father.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a lifestyle,害羞草研究所� said Dumas, adding he害羞草研究所檚 not in it for the money. 害羞草研究所滻f I figured out what I害羞草研究所檝e made throughout my life, I害羞草研究所檝e probably averaged about five cents an hour.
害羞草研究所淵ou raise the animal from a baby, you spend a lot of time with it and no one害羞草研究所檚 paying you to do it, you just do it. And it害羞草研究所檚 a love you have.害羞草研究所�
WATCH: Oscars to air without a host
Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
