As Puss in Boots: The Last Wish makes its debut in theaters, longtime fans are ready for some big surprises. From the first teaser, viewers were lit up with a stylistically different take on the popular swashbuckling cat. The film even surprises Antonio Banderas, who has been voicing the character for 20 years! Banderas spoke with Entertainment Weekly on the film, stating how the script “really took him by surprise.” If you have yet to see the trailer, it can be viewed below.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish follows the iconic hero as he comes face to face with every cat’s worst nightmare, being on their last life. After spending eight of his nine lives, Puss goes through an existential crisis. With death on his tail, Puss travels to find a wishing star to restore the lives he lost. The concept of coming to terms with mortality is a theme that Banderas is more than familiar with, especially on a personal level, as he revealed to Entertainment Weekly.

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Banderas goes on to explain the positive lens he views the near-death experience through. The actor says the experience convinced him to re-evaluate what was important in life. He is grateful for the second chance and understands that his opportunity is not something everyone can gain.

“I really am feeling, in a very personal way, connected to this movie, if I have to tell you the truth. I suffered a heart attack on the 25th of January, 2017, which I am totally recovered from now. I do exercises, I run, but I used to smoke, which is probably the most stupid thing that I have ever done in my life. I stopped smoking after the heart attack, and I feel great now. But I had the opportunity to see death was right in front of my very eyes. And it was very scary.”

Seeing Yourself Through The Fairy Tale

     Universal Pictures

While Banderas could not clarify whether the writers were aware of his real story and if that influenced the film, he is grateful that his character was able to face such a mature theme. In the Shrek films and the character’s 2011 spin-off origin film, Puss always landed on his feline feet even when facing the greatest of challenges. According to Banderas, this makes the contrast to The Last Wish all the more powerful.

“Not every person lives through something like that to tell the story, but I did. And so when I saw the script of the movie for the first time, I thought, ‘Ooh, I understand the path that the cat is taking here.’ In a strange way I related to my character in this particular movie."

Banderas also comments that the film has made his connection to the character even stronger than before.

“Puss has always seen himself as bigger than he is, but in this movie, we see him very vulnerable. It tells the message that we have permission to actually be afraid and just to feel, and sometimes we don’t [have] all the power that we thought that we had, and that is okay. Puss is for all ages and I’m excited for kids to see that heroes can also be in trouble and need help.”

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is now playing in theaters.

“I’ve established a relationship with this character, giving my voice to him for almost 20 years. I’m 62 now, so for one-third of my life he’s been with me, and I feel very close to him. Almost like an alter ego. So to now establish a different kind of relationship to the character, one that’s more sincere, has been fabulous.”