Claire Danes: Shopgirl and her pooch

Claire Danes has joined the trend of stars who travel with their pets for companionship. And who can blame her? A dog won't talk about you to the tabloid, sleep with your boyfriend, or sell personal movies on the Internet. (Okay, a dog may sleep with your boyfriend, but it's a whole different thing!)

In any event, Claire talks about her upcoming movie, "Shopgirl," and the buzzed-about nude scene with Steve Martin. She also talks about her unnamed schnauzer-poodle: "It's kind of lonely work traveling around," she says. "I get it. I understand why people have dogs. Better to have a dog than a baby."

Read about Claire, her movie, and her canine friend on CTNow.com.

Photo: TOUCHSTONE PICTURES/HYDE PARK ENTERTAINMENT