Judi Dench Opens Up About ‘Cats’ Flop in New Memoir: ‘There Were No Villains’

Years after its release, Hollywood's star-studded musical misfire remains the punchline of countless jokes online. But for one of its most celebrated leads, the story behind the scenes was far more complicated than the memes suggest.

Nearly seven years after the infamous "Cats" movie brought composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical from stage to screen, Dame Judi Dench says she has yet to watch the final cut.

In her upcoming memoir, "Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?," the 91-year-old screen legend revealed that she has never seen herself as Old Deuteronomy in the critically panned 2019 film.

"Oh God, I can't bear it," Dench wrote in her memoir, according to an excerpt published by The Guardian. "And [Lloyd Webber] had waited so long for it to be made. What a waste of all that goodwill and talent."

"I understand the critics were rather hostile to the film," she continued. "I never saw the final cut so I can't judge. All I'll say is nobody sets out to give a poor performance or make a bad film. You do your best, offer something up and hope that people will get on board and join the party."

One of the film's most heavily criticized elements upon release was its erratic CGI, which erased every animal's anus but, in Dench's case, left behind a human hand, complete with a wedding ring.

English actor Brian Blessed originated the role of Old Deuteronomy, the wise and elderly leader of the Jellicle cats, on London's West End decades ago. However, Dench recalled feeling "ill at ease" about taking on the part from the very start.

"I just didn't feel right in the role," she shared, noting that she often sat unused in her trailer for hours at a time. The actress also admitted she didn't "like the way the young dancers were left hanging at the end of each take. They'd stand there exhausted and be completely ignored."

Still, the experience had its lighter moments. Dench said she enjoyed discovering "[she] could still lift [her] leg in the air" and playing Bananagrams with her vocal coach on set.

She also relished meeting co-star Taylor Swift, and on the final day of filming, Jason Derulo, who played Rum Tum Tugger, presented her with 50 everlasting roses spray-painted gold.

"There were no villains in the making of 'Cats,'" Dench wrote. "And if something isn't a success, then there are always things you can say you've learned. Sometimes things just don't work out: the timing's wrong, the cast don't gel, the elements don't coalesce. But people's intentions are mostly honorable."

Lloyd Webber, meanwhile, has been outspoken in his criticism of the film, claiming director Tom Hooper, who has not made another movie since "Cats," failed to consult anyone involved in the original West End production.

He also said that "the whole thing was ridiculous." In a 2021 interview with Variety, the composer admitted he disliked the film so much that it prompted him to buy a dog.

"'Cats' was off-the-scale all wrong," he said. "There wasn't really any understanding of why the music ticked at all. I saw it and I just thought, 'Oh, God, no.' It was the first time in my 70-odd years on this planet that I went out and bought a dog. So the one good thing to come out of it is my little Havanese puppy."

After the pair kept each other company throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Lloyd Webber added that he was ready to bring his new pup to Broadway when the time was right.

"I wrote off and said I needed him with me at all times because I'm emotionally damaged and I must have this therapy dog," he told Variety. The two had grown so inseparable that Lloyd Webber had even worked out a way to bring his furry companion along on a flight at the time.

He continued, "The airline wrote back and said, 'Can you prove that you really need him?' And I said 'Yes, just see what Hollywood did to my musical 'Cats.' Then the approval came back with a note saying, 'No doctor's report required.'"