Cats star Francesca Hayward dismisses critics but admits it 'took a while' to get used to seeing herself in the film

Exclusive: The ballerina and actress has insisted fans will enjoy the movie 
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Isobel Frodsham19 November 2019
The Weekender

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Francesca Hayward has dismissed criticism of the upcoming Cats film and revealed the first time she saw herself as a furry feline was in the trailer.

Tom Hooper’s movie – which boasts a star-studded cast including Dame Judi Dench, Taylor Swift and Idris Elba – is based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical and Hayward, who is the principal dancer for the Royal Ballet, plays Victoria the white cat.

When the trailer was released in July, fans blasted the CGI fur and questioned the scale of the cats and the elaborate sets.

Responding to the backlash, Hayward insisted the cast “felt cat-sized” when shooting the film.

Miaow: Francesca Hayward as Victoria in the 'Cats' movie
Universal

She told Standard Online: “It takes time maybe, for people to wrap their heads around the whole thing. Maybe they are comments from people who haven’t seen the musical.

“If they had been on the sets themselves, [they would've seen] they were absolutely extraordinary. It was like a playground for us. We really did feel cat-sized compared to everything we were seeing and everything that was around us.”

Rising star: Hawyward at the Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words premiere 
Dave Benett/Getty Images

“When I saw the trailer, I hadn’t seen myself with fur yet,” she continued. “We recorded in the motion capture suits and the fur was digitally added.

“It took me a while to process myself as a cat – it’s not something you see every day.”

Hayward added she did not feel overwhelmed acting alongside A-listers including Dame Judi as dancing with ballet stars including Edward Watson has helped her overcome her nerves.

Principals: Hayward and Edward Watson
Alice Pennefather

“Even in the early stages of my career I’ve had to dance with principal dancers,” she said. “I could have easily freaked out and got nervous, but I think that helped when it came to trying to forget I was doing a scene with Judi Dench.

“She was just another person playing a part. But now when I look back on what I did, I can’t believe it.”

Hayward was speaking at the premiere of Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words, held in partnership with Bottega Veneta, at the Curzon cinema in Mayfair on Monday evening.

She stars as Juliet in the film, which sees Michael Nunn and William Trevitt restage and direct Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s choreography for the silver screen.

“As soon as I heard that this film was being made it was something I was very desperate to be a part of,” she said. “Something like this has never been done before. It was just an incredible experience – when we left the set it was like we were leaving the town we made loads of memories in.”

Romeo and Juliet: Beyonce Words will be released in Curzon Cinemas on December 16 and Sadler's Wells on December 9.

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