# Judi Dench memoir reflections on Cats film

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/judi-dench-memoir-reflections-on-cats-film
> Updated: 2026-10-24T11:11:07.000Z. Sources: 17. Developments: 2.

In her memoir, ‘Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?’, actress Judi Dench reflects on her experience in the 2019 film adaptation of the musical ‘Cats’. Dench, who portrayed Old Deuteronomy, described the production as a ‘waste of all that goodwill and talent.’

While characterizing the project as one of the worst of the 21st century, Dench noted that ‘there were no villains in the making of Cats,’ suggesting the film’s failure stemmed from execution rather than malice. She emphasized that ‘nobody sets out to give a poor performance or make a bad film,’ noting she never saw the final cut and could not offer a complete judgment.

The film, directed by Tom Hooper and based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, was a significant critical and commercial failure, earning six Razzie Awards and receiving poor reviews. Despite a high-profile ensemble including Taylor Swift and Idris Elba, the production grossed approximately 78.3 million dollars against a 95 million dollar budget.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-24: Judi Dench criticizes Cats film in new memoir

Actress Judi Dench describes the 2019 film Cats as a waste of talent and one of the worst projects of the century in her new memoir.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/judi-dench-criticizes-cats-film-in-new-memoir

### 2026-10-20: Judi Dench critiques Cats film as a waste of talent

In her new memoir, Judi Dench describes the 2019 film adaptation of “Cats” as a “waste of goodwill and talent,” while defending the honorable intentions of the cast and crew.

14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/judi-dench-critiques-cats-film-in-upcoming-memoir

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