Judi Dench Calls 'Cats' Film Waste of Talent

Dame Judi Dench has described the 2019 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats as a significant waste of goodwill and talent in her forthcoming memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?. The actress, who portrayed Old Deuteronomy alongside James Corden and Idris Elba, stated she had declined to watch the movie after its release. Dench criticized the production process, noting that Andrew Lloyd Webber waited years for the project while expressing frustration over the final result. She acknowledged hostile criticism from reviewers but emphasized that no one sets out to create a poor performance or bad film. The article highlights specific criticisms of the film's CGI and erratic effects compared to the original West End show.