Idris Elba Talks CATS and Working With Taylor Swift

Idris Elba is gearing up for the upcoming Cats film, in which he will play the role of Macavity. He recently chatted with Variety at a screening of his new Netflix series, Turn Up Charlie, about the film and what it was like working with Taylor Swift.

"Taylor was great," Elba said. "Her and I had a lot of work to do together, and she was amazing. She worked hard and was just happy to be there."

Swift will play the role of Bombalurina in the film.

On the film itself, Elba said that while it was a new experience, he had fun with it.

"It was all really new to me," he said. "But I know the songs, of course, so I was sort of in new territory, but it was really liberating. It was so much fun playing that big Macavity character."

Read more on Variety.

Who is in the Cast of the Cats Movie?

The star-studded cast of Cats features Jennifer Hudson (Grizabella), Ian McKellen (Gus the Theatre Cat), Judi Dench (Deuteronomy), Idris Elba (Macavity), Rebel Wilson (Jennyanydots), Jason Derulo (Rum Tum Tugger), James Corden (Bustopher Jones), Taylor Swift (Bombalurina), Robert Fairchild (Munkustrap), and Royal Ballet principal dancers Steven McRae (Skimbleshanks) and Francesca Hayward (Victoria).

Tom Hooper will direct the project for Working Title, with Andy Blankenbuehler attached to choreograph.

About CATS

Cats made its return to Broadway in 2016 at the Neil Simon Theatre and was also recently staged at the London Palladium for a limited 12-week run, starring former Pussycat Doll singer Nicole Scherzinger in the role of 'Grizabella'.

Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and based on T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," the original Broadway production opened in 1982 at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre, where it ran for 7,485 performances and 18 years. Cats was originally produced on Broadway by Cameron Mackintosh, The Really Useful Company Limited, David Geffen, and The Shubert Organization.

Since its world premiere, Cats has been presented in over 30 countries, has been translated into 15 languages, and has been seen by more than 73 million people worldwide. Originally directed by Trevor Nunn with choreography and associate direction by Gillian Lynne, scenic and costume design by John Napier, lighting design by David Hersey, and sound design by Martin Levan, Cats opened in the West End in 1981. The same creative team brought the musical to Broadway in 1982 where it won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Both the original London and Broadway cast recordings won GRAMMY AWARDS for Best Cast Album. Cats hit song "Memory" has been recorded by over 150 artists from Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis to Liberace and Barry Manilow.