Fans love famous dogs, and Milo from 1994's 'The Mask' is no exception. Sure, viewers also loved Cameron Diaz and Jim Carrey in the film, and the film's true origins make it all the more interesting. But let's be clear: the doggie love in the movie was a big hit.
Milo saved the day more than once, first by helping his owner Stanley get out of jail, then by fighting some bad guys while wearing the Mask himself, and finally by snatching the mask out of the clutches of a bad dude, swimming away with it to do who knows what.
And though Milo didn't make an appearance in the "sequel" -- more of a spinoff -- 'Son of the Mask,' fans never forgot him. His likeness was also used in the animated series that followed 'The Mask.'
But what about the real-life pup who played Milo?
'The Mask' wasn't the highest-budget or highest-paying film of Jim Carrey's career, but it was a huge opportunity for Milo the dog.
Well, his real name was Max, according to IMDb, and the Jack Russell Terrier grew to fame the same as many of his canine colleagues. But his path to fame wasn't an easy one, suggests IMDb. 'The Mask' was Max's only big Hollywood hit.
In fact, IMDb erroneously suggests that Milo also appeared in 'Son of the Mask,' but that's not the case. Multiple sources confirm that the sequel's dog, named Otis, was played by Bear the Dog. It's true the dogs look alike, and the film's trajectory involves the dog swimming into a river to find the Mask for a human owner once again.
But Max wasn't in the sequel, though the other dog's name is a nod to 'The Adventures of Milo and Otis.'
IMDb does point out that Max had few other Hollywood gigs in his day, and that his owner said he had a hard time nabbing roles because of his size. Producers either said he was "too big or too small for a role."
However, Max did appear in 'Mom and Dad Save the World' in 1992, says IMDb, playing a space alien in disguise -- just like another famous doggie. Then in 2000, Max played a female dog in 'Mr. Accident,' in 2000.
After that, Max dropped off the celebrity radar. IMDb says it is assumed that Max passed away sometime in the early 2000s, given that the average lifespan of his breed is 13 to 16 years.
In a long-ago article from EW, the pup's owner talked about attending the premiere of 'The Mask' with Max; the doggie star even got to ride in a limousine! Max, who was remembered for his ability to improvise with Jim Carrey in funny scenes, will clearly always be a fan favorite canine actor.