Kate Middleton isn’t the only one making us question reality. It turns out the clapping dog wasn’t even in the Oscars 2024 audience.

If Kate Middleton admitting to editing a photo of herself and her children made you question your grasp of reality, wait until you learn the truth about the dog clapping at the Oscars.

At the ceremony on Sunday, Robert Downey Jr. was upstaged as he won best supporting actor for his performance in “Oppenheimer,” when the camera cut to Messi the border collie clapping in the audience. The canine star played Snoop in “Anatomy of a Fall,” which won best original screenplay at the 2024 Oscars.

But according to host Jimmy Kimmel, Messi was too excited during the ceremony rehearsal to attend the live show.

“Our plan was to have him sitting in the audience throughout the show, including my monologue. But then turns out, we did a rehearsal, the dog was barking like crazy the whole time because he’s a dog, which was making it really hard to tell jokes,” Kimmel explained on his Monday night show.

“It was really funny. It was as if we’d released a dozen squirrels into the theater, that’s how much barking,” he added. “Instead of having Messi live in the audience, we pre-taped some reaction shots, including this one which we rolled in after Robert Downey Jr. won best supporting actor.”

The adorably funny moment instantly went viral, partly because people complained that Messi was too lovable and could potentially skew the awards.

A behind-the-scenes clip also circulated online, showing Messi and a handful of audience members filming the moment ahead of the show.

Although the caption suggests that a look-alike pooch stood in for Messi, the dog’s trainer, Laura Martin Contini, confirmed on Instagram that they were there.

As Kimmel pointed out, it would’ve been impossible for Messi to actually clap, so a prop master laid on the floor with some fake dog legs to bring the joke to life.

A prop master lying under Messi at the 2024 Oscars. Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube

Although Messi wasn’t in the ceremony itself, the pre-filmed clip convinced audiences that he was, and social media was filled with people loving the moment.

Perhaps Middleton and Messi can collaborate for the next royal family photo.