Bobby Cannavale’s son Jake has given fans an update on the bearded dragon that recently made his father the talk of awards season, and it sounds like Benny Blue has settled in just fine.
Jake Cannavale, 30, spoke to E! News at the premiere of his new series Scarpetta on 3rd March, confirming that he and the family’s new reptile have formed quite the bond.
“Oh dude, me and Benny are tight,” 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 go and collect him, 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, particularly when it comes to animals.
“It’s funny because you know my dad hated pets growing up,” he said. “And now he’s being a dad again, and everything sort of has changed and he loves animals now. It’s hilarious.”
Bobby shares sons Rocco, 10, and Rafael, 8, with his partner Rose Byrne.
Jake’s involvement with the household has increased to actual babysitting duties, for the lizard, at least.
While Bobby took the boys to Disney, Jake stayed at the house for a few days to look after Benny, getting a crash course in bearded dragon care along the way.
“You have to dip the crickets in calcium powder and cover them in vitamins so that the bearded dragon will get its vitamins from the crickets,” 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 that must be so nice, you’re just a lizard, in the desert. You don’t even know you’re in a cage right now.'”
