STACK #221 March 2023

FEATURE MOVIE

THE THIRD AMIGO Joining Puss and Kitty in the search for the Last Wish is positive pooch Perrito, voiced by Harvey Guillén ( What We Do in the Shadows ). “I’m such a fan of the original Shrek series and the character Puss in Boots,” he says. “That world was my childhood. It’s so nostalgic, and to be here is surreal. To be a part of it and the third amigo in this group… I’m still pinching myself!”

DreamWorks Animation’s fearless feline embarks on the ultimate quest in Puss in Boots:The LastWish . STACK chats with co-director Joel Crawford, and voice stars Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek Pinault, about taking the franchise into uncharted territory. Words Gill Pringle A fter lying low for 11 years, Antonio Banderas’s swashbuckling, fearless feline Puss in Boots returns. But this

Recorded during pandemic protocols, Hayek insists it wasn’t necessary to be in the same room with Banderas, whom she first met almost three decades ago, co-starring in Robert Rodriguez’ Desperado . “We insisted that we do it together last time. But, in this decade, we were simply desperate for this movie to get done. We know each other’s rhythm, timing, and thought process. So it always felt like he was there.” Crawford believes the result of that bond – together with the introduction of a brilliant new cast – is a movie filled with humour, emotion, adventure and beauty. “This movie is designed to be an insanely entertaining rollercoaster ride full of comedy, drama, and fear,” he says. “That’s been the balance. It’s a big, action-adventure comedy, but we still wanted people to feel the journey of Puss in Boots to appreciate the one life that we’ve all been gifted. “I hope people laugh a lot, maybe cry a little, and ultimately cheer once again for Puss in Boots. It would be wonderful if audiences come away from this film feeling full of life.”

time the daring outlaw has lost his mojo, his passion for peril and disregard for safety having finally taken a toll. Even though he has lost count along the way, Puss can’t argue with the numbers as he discovers he has burned through eight of his nine lives. Getting those lives back sends Puss on his grandest quest yet, which he reluctantly discovers he can’t complete without the help of his former feline fancy and sometime nemesis Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), and an annoyingly optimistic pup named Perrito (Harvey Guillén). Together, these three unlikely amigos embark on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star that will help Puss restore his lost lives. A spin-off from the Shrek universe, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish takes the franchise into uncharted territory. “We took some big swings in this chapter,” says director Joel Crawford. “There are some darker tones reminiscent of the Grimm fairytales, but telling the story using comedy allows us to satisfy what fans have always loved about Puss in Boots, as well as introduce new viewers to his daredevil world.”

wiser and more introspective . . . I hope. “What I love most about playing Puss is that deep down inside, he has a strong sense of honour and loyalty – as well as a mischievous and funny side, which endears him to audiences of all ages.” Reprising her role as Kitty

• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is out on Mar 29

Softpaws, Salma Hayek Pinault was delighted to reunite with her longtime friend Banderas, as well as welcoming a new all-star cast including Florence Pugh as the voice of Goldi, and Olivia Colman and Ray Winstone doing duties as Mamma and Papa Bear.

“Coming back to voice this memorable hero has been a remarkable experience,” says Antonio Banderas. “I felt like I was visiting a very dear, clever friend that I hadn’t heard from for a few years. We both have greyer whiskers and are no longer the brash, young players we used to be. But we’re now

“Olivia and I have been wanting to work together for some time – or maybe she just says that and it's my wishful thinking,” laughs Hayek. “So it's just funny that it kind of happened in this one. Unfortunately we didn't get to work in the same room but, hey, it's a beginning!”

The character of Puss in Boots first appeared in the 1697 fairy tale collection Tales of Mother Goose . DYK?

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