Disney's Lady and the Tramp Remake Will Star a Mixed-Breed Rescue Dog Named Monte

Following the success of The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp will be the next classic Disney movie to be revamped in 2019. And while most of Disney's live-action remakes boast star-studded casts, the lead in this upcoming film is totally unknown. That's because Monte, a mixed-breed dog from Phoenix, Arizona, spent his pre-Hollywood days living in animal shelters.

As AZ Central reports, Monte will make his film debut as Tramp when Lady and the Tramp releases alongside the launch of Disney+, the company's upcoming streaming service, on November 12. In the original 1955 animated movie, Tramp was portrayed as a mutt who lived on the streets, so instead of looking for a purebred dog to portray the character, producers stayed faithful to the source material.

Monte lived in a New Mexico animal shelter before transferring to HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix. When the filmmakers went there in search of a star for their movie, he instantly won them over. Like Tramp, Monte is a mixed-breed dog, but the shelter doesn't know exactly what his background is, other than being part terrier. Despite his scrappy appearance, Monte is very well-behaved. He knows how to sit, walk on a leash, and he's friendly with everyone he meets, according to the shelter.

The Lady and the Tramp crew adopted Monte in April 2018, and earlier this month, Disney released the first promotional image of him for the film. It features Monte snuggling up with his co-star, Rose, who plays Lady. True to the original, Lady is portrayed by a purebred cocker spaniel. Though you likely don't recognize the dogs on the poster, you may have heard of the voice actors who will bring them to life: Justin Theroux is playing Tramp and Tessa Thompson is Lady.

[h/t AZ Central]