’10 Lives’ Director Chris Jenkins on Animating Cat Butts and Working With Zayn Malik: ‘We Immediately Bonded’
variety.comK.J. Yossman “10 Lives,”an animated comedy set to premiere at Sundance, tells the story of a pampered cat called Beckett (voiced by British comedian Mo Gilligan) who undergoes a series of transformations – both physical and emotional – while learning a lesson about love.
The all-star cast includes “Bridgerton’s” Simone Ashley, “Love, Actually” star Bill Nighy and One Direction heartthrob Zayn Malik in his first feature film speaking role (he plays a pair of dopey henchmen, Cameron and Kirk).
Malik is also credited as executive music producer, writing some new tracks for the film, including a duet with Ashley. Ahead of its festival debut, Jenkins sat down with Variety to talk about going to Sundance, working with Malik and how he sidestepped making a “butthole cut” (featuring animated cat anuses as the controversial “Cats” movie reportedly did before eventually scrapping that version) of the movie. How did you come onto this project? I was brought in [by the producers].
Prior to my arrival, it was set in California. It was a lovely story, but when it became British, something else happened. It wasn’t just putting in telephone boxes and post boxes and having the cars drive on the other side of the road.
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