Honestly, it is kind of wild to think about how a tiny, orange cat with a sword and a pair of size-five boots became a global icon. We first saw him in Shrek 2 back in 2004, but the cast of Puss in Boots movie and its massive 2022 sequel, The Last Wish, are what really cemented the character in the pop culture hall of fame. You’ve probably heard Antonio Banderas’s voice a million times, but there’s a lot more to this ensemble than just one suave Spaniard.
The Icon: Antonio Banderas as Puss
Antonio Banderas basically is Puss in Boots. When DreamWorks was first casting the role, they looked at guys like Sylvester Stallone and Harrison Ford. Can you imagine a Rambo-sounding cat? It wouldn't have worked. Director Chris Miller has said that Banderas’s persona actually dictated the character’s entire Spanish backstory, moving away from the original French fairy tale roots.
Banderas doesn't just do a voice; he brings this weirdly vulnerable machismo that makes you love a cat who is, frankly, a bit of a jerk sometimes. In The Last Wish, he had to play a version of Puss that was actually terrified of dying. It’s pretty heavy stuff for a kids' movie. Banderas has actually voiced the character in English, Spanish, and Italian, which is some serious dedication to the craft.
The Perfect Foil: Salma Hayek Pinault
You can't talk about the cast of Puss in Boots movie without mentioning Kitty Softpaws. Salma Hayek Pinault joined the franchise in 2011 and brought a much-needed groundedness to the story. Kitty is a street-savvy tuxedo cat who was declawed by her previous owners—a detail that adds a surprisingly dark layer of trauma to a cartoon.
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The chemistry between Banderas and Hayek is real. They’ve worked together on plenty of live-action projects like Desperado, and that history translates into their banter. Kitty isn't just a love interest; she's often more capable than Puss, and Hayek plays that "I'm better than you and we both know it" energy perfectly.
The Breakout Stars of The Last Wish
While the original 2011 movie had Zach Galifianakis as the "egg-centric" Humpty Dumpty, the 2022 sequel really blew the doors off with its new additions.
- Harvey Guillén as Perrito: Basically the soul of the second movie. He plays a naive, relentlessly optimistic Chihuahua who just wants to be a therapy dog.
- Florence Pugh as Goldilocks: This isn't your grandma's Goldi. She's the leader of the Three Bears Crime Family. Pugh gives her a raspy, tough-as-nails British vibe that makes her feel like she walked out of a Guy Ritchie movie.
- John Mulaney as "Big" Jack Horner: A total psychopath. Mulaney uses his trademark "old-timey" voice to play a villain who is irredeemable and loves it.
- Wagner Moura as The Wolf (Death): If you felt a chill down your spine when the Wolf whistled, that’s thanks to Moura. The Brazilian actor, famous for Narcos, brought a terrifying, Kurosawa-inspired presence to a character that literally represents the end of life.
Why the Three Bears Family Works
Ray Winstone (Papa Bear), Olivia Colman (Mama Bear), and Samson Kayo (Baby Bear) are a trip. It is sort of amazing to see an Oscar winner like Olivia Colman voicing a grizzly bear in a crime syndicate.
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They aren't just one-note villains. Their dynamic with Goldilocks—the "orphan" human girl they took in—provides the emotional backbone for the subplots. Ray Winstone brings that classic East End tough-guy energy, while Colman is the fiercely protective mother. It’s a weirdly functional dysfunctional family.
The Supporting Players You Might Have Missed
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph: She plays Mama Luna, the elderly cat lady who tries to "retire" Puss by naming him Pickles.
- Anthony Mendez: Known as the narrator from Jane the Virgin, he’s the doctor who delivers the grim news that Puss is on his ninth life.
- Kevin McCann: He voices the Ethical Bug, a parody of Jiminy Cricket who eventually realizes that Jack Horner is a lost cause.
- Wagner Moura: Again, the Wolf. His performance is so distinct it deserves a second mention because it changed the tone of the entire franchise from "silly adventure" to "existential masterpiece."
Behind the Scenes: More Than Just Talking
A lot of people think voice acting is just standing in a booth and reading lines. It’s not. For the cast of Puss in Boots movie, the animators actually filmed the actors while they recorded. They watched Banderas’s facial expressions and his "Zorro-like" movements to make Puss’s animation feel more authentic.
In The Last Wish, the director Joel Crawford wanted a "painterly" look, and the actors had to match that more stylized, high-stakes energy. John Mulaney, for instance, was encouraged to improvise, leading to some of the funniest, most unhinged lines in the film.
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What Really Matters About This Cast
What makes this specific cast special is the diversity. You have major Latino stars like Banderas and Hayek at the center of a massive Hollywood franchise. Then you mix in British heavyweights like Winstone and Colman, a Brazilian star in Moura, and American comedians like Mulaney.
It doesn't feel forced. It feels like a world populated by different cultures and personalities, which fits the "fairy tale mashup" vibe of the Shrek universe perfectly.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Puss in Boots, the best way to appreciate the cast is to watch the "Behind the Voices" features on the 4K or Blu-ray releases. Seeing the physical performances of actors like Florence Pugh or Harvey Guillén really highlights how much work goes into a "cartoon" character. You can also check out the Netflix series The Adventures of Puss in Boots, though keep in mind that Eric Bauza takes over the lead role there—he does a killer Banderas impression, but the movies remain the gold standard for the original cast's chemistry.
Next Steps
- Compare the Performances: Watch the original 2011 Puss in Boots and then The Last Wish back-to-back. You’ll notice how Banderas evolves the voice from a standard hero to a cat facing a mid-life crisis.
- Explore the Villains: Look into the filmography of Wagner Moura or Florence Pugh to see how their "tough" live-action roles informed their animated characters.
- Check Out the Soundtrack: Heitor Pereira’s score is heavily influenced by the cast’s energy, especially the Latin-inspired tracks that accompany Puss and Kitty’s scenes.