Garfield's New Voice: How Chris Pratt's Past Became His Purr-fect Present
Chris Pratt, the voice behind the iconic, orange, and notoriously lazy cat in "The Garfield Movie," shares a personal connection with his character that he finds both humorous and relatable Reflecting on his late 20s and early 30s, Pratt recalls a period in his life characterized by a lack of exercise and a hearty appetite, closely mirroring Garfield's own lifestyle. "I ate so much all the time, and I was very lazy," Pratt revealed in an interview with Reuters, drawing parallels between his past self and the animated cat he now portrays.
Despite differences in their current lifestyles, Pratt admits to still feeling pampered, much like Garfield. His transformation into the character seemed complete as he humorously noted, "I've become Garfield... I was pampered and pet all morning before this interview and now I'm going to eat a big bowl of lasagna." This role marks another significant voice acting project for Pratt, who has previously lent his voice to characters in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and Pixar's "Onward."
"The Garfield Movie," distributed by Sony Pictures, is set to bring the beloved 1976 comic strip by Jim Davis to animation, hitting US movie theatres this Friday. The film presents a narrative where Garfield, accustomed to a life of leisure, finds himself embroiled in an unexpected adventure to carry out a heist, a plot diverging from the cat's usual antics.
Renowned director Mark Dindal, known for his work on "The Emperor's New Groove," saw Pratt as the perfect voice for Garfield from the outset, a sentiment that was crucial for Pratt. "Mark Dindal said 'I've been working on this for a couple of years, and I just hear your voice coming out of his mouth. To me, this is Chris Pratt as a cat,'" Pratt shared, highlighting the effortless compatibility between his voice and the character's persona.
Perhaps most validating for Pratt was the approval of Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield, whose comic strip has achieved global recognition. Learning that Davis rated his performance as the voice of Garfield a "10 out of 10" was particularly meaningful for Pratt. "Yeah, he's the character's creator, and I just heard recently that he gave a sweet quote and rated me a 10 out of 10 as the voice of Garfield," Pratt said. This endorsement not only relieved Pratt of the pressure he felt in taking on such an iconic role but also affirmed the strong connection he shares with Garfield, both in voice and spirit.
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