There are few movie dogs who have moved people like Abbey, the canine actor who co-starred with Will Smith in the hit film I Am Legend.

Recently, the Oscar-winner shared a heartwarming tribute to his old co-star ❤️

The film, released in 2007, features Smith as seemingly the last human survivor of an apocalyptic virus which has turned many humans into cannibalistic mutants.

His only companion is his German Shepherd Sam, played by an animal actor named Abbey. The on-screen friendship between man and dog is one of the most memorable parts of the film — and one especially hearttugging scene left many audience members in tears.

Will Smith: “I love that dog”

The relationship between Smith and Abbey was just as strong off-screen. Smith said that his co-star helped him overcome his longtime fear of animal attachment.

“When I was little, I was probably 9, and I had a dog that got hit by a car,” Smith told Access Hollywood in 2007. “So I was like, ‘That’s it! I’m not doing it. I’m not doing that whole, fall in love with dogs thing no more.’”Will Smith during Will Smith on the Set of “I Am Legend” – October 2, 2006 in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic)

Smith said he “loves that dog” and even asked Abbey’s trainer if he could take her home for good once shooting wrapped up, although he was denied.

“I was begging him,” Smith said. “I was like, ‘Please let me have Abbey. Please, please, please let me have her.’ But you know, she has her own family now so it was just another one of those fleeting Hollywood romances.”

“I didn’t want to see that end badly – you know how a lot of these stars fall in love with their co-stars, and then once they move on to the next picture, they’re off and running,” Abbey’s trainer Steve Berens told LAD Bible.

Even so, he said that Smith took his animal co-star more seriously than many actors do, and that their chemistry is apparent on screen.

“He was a fabulous guy to work with,” he said. “I think that she really liked him, and that made a difference. I think that’s one thing in the film I was very happy with, and very proud of – the relationship was really solid.”