Entertainment
Puss In Boots star Antonio Banderas says Shrek films ‘destroyed’ his voice-Robert Oliver-Entertainment – Metro
He first appeared as Puss back in 2004.
Puss in Boots and Broadway apparently don’t mix! (Picture: Naharro Gimenez/WireImage)
Antonio Banderas has said that playing Puss In Boots in the Shrek movie franchise almost completely ‘destroyed’ his vocal cords.
The Spanish actor, 62, first began working in the 1980s in his home country of Spain but became an international star during the 1990s.
He first appeared as the sword-wielding Puss in 2004’s Shrek 2, the sequel to Shrek which starred Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy.
Puss In Boots was such a beloved character with audiences that, in 2011, he got his own spin-off film, which now has a sequel: The Last Wish.
Reflecting on his career, Banderas, admitted that it wasn’t always easy playing the cat who was modelled on his 1998 portrayal of Zorro.
He said to the Radio Times: ‘I was on Broadway singing every night and had to do sessions for Puss. [He’s] very loud, it just destroyed my vocal cords.’
Antonio Banderas first appeared as Puss 19 years ago in Shrek 2 (Picture: Dia Dipasupil/Getty)
At the time, Banderas was performing in the 2003 run of Nine, the 1980s Broadway musical which went on to win five Tony awards.
The first Puss spin-off movie was released in 2011, which means quite a bit of time has passed since The Skin I Live In star stepped into those boots.
But Banderas continued on to say that he’s had no trouble settling back into the role for the critically acclaimed sequel that releases in February in the UK.
‘Even if there was a gap of several years, it’s just like riding a bicycle. The only problem that I had is [destroying my vocal cords again].’
Banderas’ swashbuckling cat became an instant hit with Shrek fans (Picture: WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty)
The Last Wish has been released to rave reviews from critics, some of whom have argued that the Shrek franchise is ‘only getting better with age’.
Voice actor Banderas continued: ‘The initial idea was just to mock Zorro. Now he’s very famous and known all around the world. I didn’t expect that.’
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It’s not the last time we’ll be seeing (or hearing) Banderas on our screens this year either, with the Spanish actor slated to appear in the upcoming Indiana Jones sequel.
He’ll be joining the cast alongside (of course) Harrison Ford, Mads Mikkelsen, and Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Radio Times is on sale now.
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