Starring as Jinx, a theater cat out for revenge in The Garfield Movie, Hannah Waddingham embraces her inner feline to bring this fabulous kitty to life.

Hannah Waddingham On Garfield Movie Song & Playing Jinx

Jinx is a theater cat out for revenge in the new Garfield movie. It turns out Vic, Garfield's long lost father, left her to be captured and put in the pound. She's out now and she's going to make him regret crossing her. As a theater kid who is no stranger to villainous roles, Hannah Waddingham is the perfect person to bring Jinx to life. So much so, the animators actually used her recording sessions to inform how they animated the dramatic cat. Not only does the character look amazing but she is also getting an original song, something Hannah was excited about. And as fans, we are too.

Hannah: When I signed on for the movie, the song wasn't on the table. Part of the way through the process, Mark, the director, just said to me, we'd love to write an original song for you. When they gave it to me, they just said, you know, do what you want with it…we went to Abbey Road Studios, which was incredible, and spent a few hours…I was all over my voice that day…every single note in every single octave, but I think Jinx deserved it.

And finding your inner Jinx?

Hannah: I have to say, when I do any other voice work, I find that I'm far more contained, but with Jinx, I mean, look at her, I need to serve that feline. […] I had such an overly animated face while I was playing her, because I think one feeds into the other, feeds into the other. There's like a kind of ping pong effect of seeing what they're doing with her, makes me adjust accordingly. Then they're seeing what I'm doing in the booth and so it was just a beautiful partnership of finding who this cheeky monkey is.

*This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Watch the full Hannah Waddingham Interview

About The Garfield Movie

Garfield (voiced by Chris Pratt), the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure. After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) – Garfield and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.

The Garfield Movie is in theaters May 24.