Judi Dench Calls ‘Cats’ Film a ‘Waste of Goodwill and Talent’ in New Memoir

Veteran actress Judi Dench has opened up about the 2019 ‘Cats’ film in her newly released memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?. She describes the movie as a “waste of goodwill and talent,” echoing the long‑standing criticism of the musical adaptation. Dench, who played Old Deuteronomy, says she never watched the final cut but feels the project fell short of its lofty ambitions. Her comments revive conversation about why a star‑studded production can miss the mark. The remarks also highlight the lingering impact of high‑profile flops on actors’ legacies.

What happened

In Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, Dench writes that the ‘Cats’ adaptation wasted the goodwill and talent invested by Andrew Lloyd Webber and the cast. She recounts never having seen the final version, describing the experience as unbearable and noting the fur coat she wore as “like five foxes f**cking on my back.”

Dench also reflects on the film’s reception, acknowledging the hostile critics while emphasizing that no one intends to create a bad film. She was nominated for a Razzie Award for her performance, and director Tom Hooper has not released another movie since the project.

Why it matters

The fallout from ‘Cats’ illustrates how even heavyweight talent cannot guarantee success when the underlying adaptation is misaligned with audience expectations. For actors, it serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of vetting a project’s creative direction before committing. Studios also see a stark reminder that big budgets and star power do not replace coherent storytelling, and missteps can linger on careers for years.

How to think about it

When evaluating a high‑profile project, actors should weigh the script’s coherence, the director’s track record, and how the material fits their strengths rather than relying on brand name alone. Studios ought to conduct rigorous creative audits early, ensuring that the adaptation’s tone and visual style serve the source material and that all key collaborators share a unified vision.

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