Bobby Cannavale’s son Jake has been giving fans an update on the bearded dragon that recently got his dad talking about awards season, and it sounds like Benny Blue has gone down well.
Jake Cannavale, 30, spoke E! News at the premiere of his new series Scarpetta on March 3, confirming that he and the family’s new reptile have formed a good bond.
“Oh dude, me and Benny are close,” he said. “Benny Blue the bearded dragon. I love that guy.”
Benny became an unlikely celebrity earlier this year after Bobby skipped the Golden Globes to pick him up, a decision that sparked considerable amusement online.
Jake reflected on how the arrival of the bearded dragon has revealed a softer side of his father, especially when it comes to animals.
“It’s funny because you know my dad hated pets growing up,” he said. “And now he’s a dad again and everything has changed and he loves animals now. It’s fun.”
Bobby shares sons Rocco, 10, and Rafael, 8, with partner Rose Byrne.
Jake’s involvement in the household has escalated to actual babysitting duties, at least for the lizard.
While Bobby took the boys to Disney, Jake stayed at the house for a few days to babysit Benny, getting a crash course in beard care along the way.
“You have to dip the grasshoppers in lime powder and coat them in vitamins so that the bearded dragon gets its vitamins from the grasshoppers,” he explained.
Despite the insect handling, he described the whole experience as surprisingly therapeutic.
“It’s a very cathartic experience. Because he doesn’t really know what’s going on. And sometimes I think, ‘Wow, it must be so nice, you’re just a lizard, in the desert. You don’t even know you’re in a cage right now’.”
