Anne Hathaway has said films in which dogs die should automatically receive an R rating, arguing that such scenes can be more upsetting than swearing or violence. Her comments highlight the strong audience sensitivity around animal deaths on screen, particularly in family-oriented films.

Speaking while promoting The End of Oak Street, Hathaway addressed viewers’ concerns about the family dog, Starbuck, and reassured them that they need not worry. She suggested audiences may have been “traumatised” by John Wick, whose plot begins after the title character’s puppy is killed; Hathaway’s new J.J. Abrams-directed film, also starring Ewan McGregor, opens on 14 August.