Charlie Donovan is a movie star.

In his latest role, he plays “Lester” in a psychological thriller that was filmed in Delaware. One of his “Days of Power” co-stars is film veteran Eric Roberts, who has appeared and starred in numerous movies and was nominated for two Golden Globes. Roberts has a famous sister named Julia.

Charlie, 11, and his “dad,” Jeremy Donovan, were on the set filming for two months this past summer. Charlie was in 39 scenes.

They're living in Boothbay Harbor now. Donovan is the executive chef at the Boothbay Harbor Country Club. He was the winner of the Chefs' Choice Award at the 2014 Claw Down competition on Sept. 18. His winning lobster bite was a Peruvian-style Maine lobster ceviche with mango-avocado, tostada and brown butter crema.

On a recent day at the country club after preparing an elegant plate of foie gras on a truffle toast bite, with king oyster mushroom, figs, bing cherries and glowing little burgundy pearls of Cassis caviar with a dribble of chive oil, Donovan relaxed on the deck with Charlie, the long-haired Chihuahua, on his lap.

Donovan has had Charlie since the puppy was eight weeks old.

“One of my good friends bought his girlfriend a long-haired Chihuahua and they found out she was pregnant. (The dog) had seven puppies and my friend gave each of his seven best friends a puppy.”

Charlie modeled dog clothes and accessories and beds in his earlier years for Pet Edge Magazine.

“He made pretty good money,” Donovan said. “He brought in $4,000 during his modeling career.”

When Donovan's rottweiler was hit by a car, Charlie's modeling money paid for the surgery needed.

“It was around $2,700 and I used the money Charlie made to pay for it.”

Donovan was in Delaware last summer preparing to open a restaurant for chef/restaurateur Matt Haley.

Haley, a global philanthropist, had just won the 2014 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Award.

“I was getting ready to open a new restaurant for him when I was approached by ‘Days of Power’ producer, Michele Grey.”

Grey had found Charlie's name on the Dog Actors Movie Guild list and asked Donovan if Charlie could be in the film, and if Donovan would cook for the crew.

“I decided to take on the food plus the dog wrangling, and work with Charlie in his scenes,” Donovan said.

“Dog wrangling” is a position working with animals on a movie set.

“I got 20 other dogs for the film, from people I knew in Delaware, and (from) scouting people on the street.”

Donovan said he was sorry that he had to decline on opening the restaurant for Haley.

“If I had opened the restaurant I wouldn't have had the time to put into the movie,” he said. “It was around 18 hours a day for two months on the set. A lot of nights Charlie and I worked till four in the morning.”

Sadly for Donovan, Haley died Aug. 19 in a motorcycle accident in India. Donovan dedicated his Claw Down Chefs' Award to him.

The movie is based on a true story about a Swiss singer/songwriter who was traveling with her band. “It was a great cast and crew and a lot of fun to be a part of,” Donovan said. There's an underlying message against animal cruelty.”

Donovan was back in Portland in January to open another restaurant when he got a call — an offer he said he couldn't refuse.

“One of Paul's people found me on Indeed (a recruiting site),” Donovan said.

“Paul” was Boothbay Harbor Country Club owner Paul Coloumbe, and he asked Donovan to come to Boothbay Harbor to be the executive chef of the club.

Donovan has been at the club for most of the summer preparing food that is as beautiful to look at as it is elegant to eat.

Restaurant manager Allyson Melchreit said she's excited to have Donovan running the kitchen.

“His cuisine is colorful and innovative,” she said. “He always brings something fresh to the table.”

Melchreit said he uses local produce whenever he can, and tries to include foods not typically seen in these parts.

“And his presentation always wows the table.”

Charlie is resting up after his busy summer, but Donovan is hopeful that he'll continue to shine in the film industry.

“‘Days of Power’ is Charlie's film debut ... his first movie, but hopefully not his last,” Donovan said.

If Eric Roberts has anything to say about it, it won’t be his last.

Roberts praised Charlie in a recent email to the Boothbay Register: “If anybody ever wants the perfect dog, they have to go steal Charlie. Working on ‘Days of Power’ with Charlie the dog was like working with a really smart actor.”

And Roberts’ co-star, Jenny Hutton, had this to say about Charlie: “Charlie is very cute and incredibly calm to work with. Although you can tell he'd rather go for a ride with Jeremy than be on the set.”

Charlie and his dad went back down to Delaware a month ago.

“They flew us down for a night to shoot two more scenes to wrap it up,” Donovan said.

The movie is scheduled for release on April 29, 2015.