The bear attack scene is terrifying. But no bear was harmed. Leonardo DiCaprio interacted with a stuntman in a blue-screen suit later replaced by CGI. The real bear (a trained performer named "Fluffy") only performed neutral actions like walking and sniffing. This film proved that visceral realism doesn't require actual danger.

Several critical tensions define this field:

The relationship between animals and popular media has evolved from ancient spectacles of power into a complex digital ecosystem where pets are celebrities and ethical concerns often clash with entertainment value. The Evolution of Animal Performance