US Uses Hollywood Film Marriage Story Clip To Scare Off Wolves In Oregon

Officials in Oregon turn to a shouting match from Oscar-nominated 2019 film Marriage Story, starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, to deter wolves from approaching human-populated areas and attacking cattle

OREGON: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-August 5^th, 2025) n a creative attempt to protect livestock without harming endangered wildlife, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is testing an unconventional method to scare away wolves — by using a dramatic scene from a Hollywood movie.

The Wall Street Journal reported that officials in Oregon have turned to a shouting match from the Oscar-nominated 2019 film Marriage Story, starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, to deter wolves from approaching human-populated areas and attacking cattle.

Paul Wolf, a USDA official in Oregon, explained that the idea is to make wolves fear human presence. "Wolves need to know how bad humans can be," he told the newspaper. Using thermal imaging drones to detect wolves at night, officials then blast loud audio — including scenes from Marriage Story, gunshots, fireworks, and other sounds — through speakers to scare them off.

Interestingly, the shouting scene from Marriage Story has proven to be nearly as effective as an actual human presence in repelling wolves. Wolf said research indicates human voices are far more effective in frightening wolves than gunshots or music.

The strategy aims to avoid killing wolves, as the species is considered at risk in the region. Instead, the goal is to use fear to keep them at bay.

This experimental approach was implemented after wolves in a town in southern Oregon killed 11 cows in 20 days. Once the audio deterrent was introduced, the number of cattle deaths dropped to just two in the following three months.

Paul Wolf and fellow researchers first tested this method in 2022, and the initial results were promising. Now, drones and audio clips — including the dramatic film scene — have become tools in the USDA’s efforts to manage wolf behavior non-lethally.