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A Switch Up – Banderas Voices Donkey: For a brief period Puss In Boots’ voice comes out of Donkey (usually voiced by Eddie Murphy). Antonio Banderas laughed about that change. “I couldn’t believe I was going to be trapped in that sack of potatoes. (Laughing) But it’s just 15 minutes in the movie. No, I think it creates more comedy for the characters. You see a donkey talking like a cat and all that. It actually just makes stronger the rivalry between the two characters, which is great, because at the end they actually love each other very much.
But there is something very interesting between those two characters that I love. It is kind of a message that there was a solitude that both were living until they found Shrek. Actually that is the essential motif for Donkey to be upset and jealous, because he approached him coming from nothing. …Suddenly this cat comes with a totally different flair, but in reality he has a different history. So they are both of them competing for Shrek’s friendship. And when they get it, I think that is a beautiful message. The kind of message about diversity that the whole entire movie is giving and the counter-cultural side of it, which was really important for me even when I wasn’t part of the family and I was a spectator and I enjoyed the first movie. I was saying, ‘Oh, finally. This is something fresh and different.’ It’s actually taking characters that we grew with them as kids and looking at them from a totally different angle. I think that is actually the essential side of the movie. My character is very present because he establishes a contrast to what he looks like as a pussycat. But he doesn’t behave like that. He behaves totally conquistador.”
The Puss In Boots Spin-Off Rumors: Banderas confirmed he’s been approached about the possibility of a film starring his Puss In Boots character. “It happened, actually, a little before the Cannes Film Festival two years ago, probably,” said Banderas. “He came to me and he said, ‘You know, I think we have a possibility of doing a movie with just the cat.’ At the beginning, it came out as an idea to do a television movie. But then they thought about it, and they saw a possibility of creating a feature film with him. I know that they have a script already.
I understand – I mean, right now, the set of movies they have to prepare for Shrek, from what I understand, is five movies. Now, this book of Puss In Boots would be between fourth and fifth. But, you know, I mean, we are related to audiences. When you do a franchising, you have movie after the other, it's just related to whatever the audience is going to say. Obviously we hope that the movie's going to perform fantastic with audiences all around the world, and so we're going to have the opportunity to continue the series. But you never know. I would love to, actually, just to have the opportunity to develop more the personality of this cat. It surprised me, even me. You know? I never thought…I thought that when they called me at the beginning, I was called just to do a recurring character. That it was going to be in one appearance, and then just leave the series. So I'm very happy now that I am part of the family.”
Looking Into the Future: So far Banderas hasn’t been approached by Robert Rodriguez to be a part of Sin City 2. “Everybody says that to me. If he calls me, this man calls me, he will call me the night before. But I've done six movies with him. He's my dear friend.”
He hasn’t been asked but if Rodriguez extends the offer, would Banderas accept? “Yeah, I would love to. I would love to go with Robert Rodriguez into hell if it is necessary because I like the creativity of the guy.”
Nine – The Movie: The musical, which Banderas starred in on the stage, is heading for the big screen with Rob Marshall attached as producer. But Banderas isn’t sure if he’ll be a part of the film version. “I don't know. I have an interview with Rob Marshall on Friday in New York. But I don't know what's going to happen. I know that Rob came to the theatre. He saw Nine in the theatre on Broadway and I know that he loved the whole entire play. But I don't know the conception that he has in his mind of what the movie should be about. It may happen, but it may not happen. Whatever happens is good.”
