View source for Brigitte (dog)

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox animal
| name                    = Brigitte
| image                   = 
| caption                 = 
| birth_name              = 
| othername               = Bijou
| species                 = Dog
| breed                   = [[French Bulldog]]
| gender                  = Female
| birth_date              = {{birth year and age|2010}}
| birth_place             = [[Grimsley, Tennessee]]
| nationality             = United States
| occupation              = [[Actress]]
| employer                = 
| role                    = 
| years_active            = 2011-Present
| known                   = ''[[Modern Family]]''
| awards                  = 2012 [[Golden Collar Awards]] for Best Dog in a Television Series
| owner                   = Sarah Clifford
| parents                 = 
| children                = 
| weight                  = 
| height                  = 
| appearance              = [[Piebald]]
}}

'''Brigitte''' (born 2010) is a [[French Bulldog]] and a [[List of animals in film and television#Dogs|dog actress]] best known for her role as Stella in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] television series ''[[Modern Family]]''. In 2012, she won the award for "Best Dog in a Television Series" at the inaugural [[Golden Collar Awards]].

==Early and private life==
During her run on ''Modern Family'', Brigitte was represented by animal trainer Guin Dill, who owns Good Dog Animals, a Los Angeles-based company which loans [[Animals on television|animal actors]] to movies and television shows.<ref name=meetbrigitte>{{cite news|last=Hefa|first=Kiran|title=Meet Brigitte, the French Bulldog Behind Stella on Modern Family|url=http://www.peoplepets.com/people/pets/article/0,,20541769,00.html|accessdate=February 19, 2012|newspaper=People Pets|date=November 2, 2011|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222200202/http://www.peoplepets.com/people/pets/article/0,,20541769,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Dill has stated that Brigitte's grooming regime is pretty straightforward.<ref name=thrgoldencollarlaunch/> She enjoys playing with [[dog toy|toys]], in particular, those built so she can tug on them.<ref name=meetbrigitte />

Her best friend was another French Bulldog, named Beatrice (2010–2020),<ref name=starrreport2>{{cite news|last=Starr|first=Michael|title=Starr Report|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/starr_report_RPWsZ17PxbexALiqRucw6I|accessdate=February 19, 2012|newspaper=The New York Post|date=February 2, 2012}}</ref> who Sarah Clifford originally adopted to act as Brigitte's understudy on set.

==Career==
The producers of the [[American Broadcasting Company]] television show ''[[Modern Family]]'' had indicated that they were looking for a [[French Bulldog]] to add to the cast,<ref name=meetbrigitte /> in order to act as a rival for [[Gloria Pritchett]].<ref name=starrreport2 /> Guin Dill took Brigitte in for an audition, but had to explain that she was new and completely untrained, with no experience as an actor.<ref name=meetbrigitte /> Brigitte ran around the audition room, doing various puppy antics. Dill later explained in an interview that the producers called him fifteen minutes after the audition to say that they wanted Brigitte, saying "She's just too cute, we have to have her".<ref name=meetbrigitte />

Brigitte made her debut during the [[Modern Family (season 2)|second]] season of ''Modern Family''.<ref name=bestinshow>{{cite news|last=Starr|first=Michael|title='Modern Family' canine co-star is best in show|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/top_dogs_yd8Jdnu2waJDT5gYAzY6mI|accessdate=February 19, 2012|newspaper=The New York Post|date=February 2, 2012}}</ref> During the gap between filming the second and [[Modern Family (season 3)|third seasons]] of ''Modern Family'', Brigitte underwent formal training to give her the skills to act on screen.<ref name=meetbrigitte /> This included teaching her to swim, something which was later written into the episode "[[Little Bo Bleep]]".<ref name=meetbrigitte /><ref>{{cite news|last=Raines|first=Leigh|title=Modern Family Review: Green with Envy|url=http://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/02/modern-family-review-green-with-envy/|accessdate=February 19, 2012|newspaper=TV Fanatic|date=February 9, 2012}}</ref> As well as being her human on screen, actor [[Ed O'Neill]] and Brigitte are best friends off screen. Her trainer said of their relationship, "Ed is very concerned about her all the time, and he looks out for her. She's really Ed's dog. I couldn't have asked for a better actor to work with."<ref name=meetbrigitte />

She has been described by ''[[The New York Post]]'' as being the most famous dog on television since ''[[Frasier]]'''s Eddie, played by [[Moose (dog)|Moose]] and Enzo.<ref name=bestinshow/>

It was announced in July 2012 that because of a dispute between the owner of Brigitte and the animal agency that hired her, she will no longer be appearing in future episodes of ''Modern Family'' (season 4). Instead, Brigitte will be replaced by her understudy, a dog named Beatrice. As reported on TMZ, her human could not seek any legal damages against the agency because she allowed them to use Brigitte for the show without having a contract in place.

==Awards==
Brigitte attended the launch party, along with Lambchop from the TV show ''[[Suburgatory]]'', for the first [[Golden Collar Awards]], a series of awards founded by ''[[Dog News Daily]]'' to celebrate the achievements of dogs in film and television.<ref name=thrgoldencollarlaunch>{{cite news|last=Snead|first=Elizabeth|title='Modern Family,' 'Suburgatory' TV Dog Stars Help Unveil The Golden Collar Award|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fash-track/modern-family-dog-golden-collar-awards-288214|accessdate=February 19, 2012|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 8, 2012}}</ref> She went on to win the award for "Best Dog in a Television Series" at the inaugural awards, beating her rival Lambchop.<ref>{{cite news|title=Uggie is Golden Collar top dog|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/entertainment-arts-17026366|accessdate=February 19, 2012|newspaper=BBC News|date=February 14, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of individual dogs]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://archive.today/20130124060502/http://abc.go.com/shows/modern-family/photo-details/stella/896869 Gallery of images of Brigitte as Stella on ''Modern Family'']
{{Animal actors}}
{{Modern Family}}
[[Category:2010 animal births]]
[[Category:Dog actors]]
[[Category:Modern Family]]