Q: Which parts of the movie did you improvise?
Antonio: Basically everything. You always have the possibility to improvise, and [the editors] have the possibility to use that material, but they will take it to the studio and choose. It’s like a million pieces of a huge puzzle, which they will put together.
Q: Based on the previous 4 (Shrek movies), did you feel any pressure for expectations for the character [Puss in Boots]?
Antonio: This is something you have to learn to deal with. If you are too concerned about the outcome, it will make you self-conscious and the illusion will not work. You never think about what the outcome is, but that you are having fun while you’re doing it. The movies work independently, but at the same time [Puss] is a prequel (to Shrek).
Salma: Maybe I am a little more distant than Antonio, but I really think that Puss stands on its own. It’s not really a brother, but more of a cousin. The only thing Antonio has to worry about is the competition of the cat that goes “Oooh!”
Q: This movie clearly is created for a broad audience, meaning it is not just suited for a younger audience, or for an older audience. Do you think there is a different message for the kids as for the adults?
Antonio: Yes, definitely. For the kids we have a story about friendship and brotherhood, about bad influences, and about forgiveness. And then there are a number of winks of an eye of the 60s Western movies that this movie reflected on, like Sergio Leone. The kids don’t necessarily have to pick up on this; the movie has many different paths. You can follow any of them, and you will have a different movie for you.
Whatever the movie may be for you, you will certainly enjoy hilarious cat humor, a series of zany adventures, and an unforgettable journey to find the meaning of companionship (with a little romance on the way).Puss in Boots opened in theaters in October.