Ricky Gervais shares 'sad news' of 'heart-breaking' death of star of hit Netflix show

Ricky Gervais has shared the poignant news that Anti, the beloved German Shepherd who starred as Brandy in the hit Netflix series AfterLife, has passed away at the age of 13. The comedian and actor took to social media to share a touching image of himself with Anti on a park bench, captioning it: "Sad News. 'Anti', who played 'Brandy' in After Life, has died. She was 13 and a very good girl."

Accompanying his words was a tearful emoji, as fans quickly expressed their condolences and reflected on the impact of the series, reports the Mirror.

One fan commented: "It was the most simple yet profound series I've ever watched. Watching you in this role, I constantly saw myself. It was a series where I confronted myself and life. You and Brandy were amazing."

Another shared their sorrow: "I'm so sorry to hear that. She brought so much joy and love to the show."

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A third reminisced about their own loss: "I lost my GSD a few years back. Such wonderful dogs," while another offered sympathies: "Very sorry to hear it, Ricky. They are family. Condolences."

In AfterLife, Gervais portrays Tony, a man grappling with the loss of his wife. As a newspaper columnist, he adopts a harsh new persona to distance himself from those trying to support him, with Anti portraying his loyal companion Brandy, who remains by his side through his grief.

Antilly was born in Herefordshire, at the home of West Bromwich-based Vislor Dog Training Centre, and was also in Tom Cruise's film Edge Of Tomorrow and appeared alongside George Clooney in The Midnight Sky, reports the BBC.

In 2022, Beth Heale, Anti's owner, spoke to the BBC, saying, "What she is to Tony, is what she is to us in real life."

She added: "We don't have children, just like how Lisa and Tony don't in the show. It sends a poignant message throughout - dogs are there for you when people can't be and Antilly is always there."

Antilly also had an Instagram account set up, which announced her passing to its thousands of followers with a touching montage of memories, including moments with Ricky and a photo with the late Paul O'Grady. The caption shared: "Vislor Antilly, After Life's Brandy, has sadly passed away. We already miss her terribly. Sleep well xxx" Antilly's brush with stardom wasn't limited to 'After Life'.

At merely 10 weeks old, she was on the set of 'The Dark Knight Rises' with her other owner, Ashley Foster, a TV and film extra portraying one of Bane's henchmen, while both of Antilly's parents played attack dogs. Often cast as a police or guard dog, Antilly graced the screen in 'Midsomer Murders', 'Doc Martin', and the 2016 film 'Denial'.

Her appearances extended to 'Trespass Against Us', 'The Midnight Sky', and 'The Boys in the Boat'. Ricky, a vocal advocate for animal rights, has often expressed his deep connection with dogs, stating he would do 'anything' for them.

Reflecting on the bond with canine companions, he once remarked: "You know me. I'll do anything for dogs."

He also mused on the emotional impact of working with dogs on set: "It was acting but it's pretty easy to get emotional over a beautiful dog. If the kindest souls were rewarded with the longest lives, dogs would outlive us all."