Summary
- Nema and Tango, the new cat stars in The Marvels, bring unique personalities and talents to the movie, with Nema excelling at stunts and Tango’s good looks being perfect for close-ups.
- Filming with cats can be unpredictable and amusingly wild, as one cat started rolling around in the gravelly set, not exactly the action the scene called for.
- Brie Larson’s allergy to cats posed a challenge, requiring her to be replaced by an extra or a stunt double on days when Nema and Tango were on set. The rigorous training the cats underwent paid off in their performances.
- Get ready to be enamored by superheroes and charismatic felines when The Marvels hits theaters on Nov. 10, 2023.
The Marvels, the highly-anticipated sequel in the Marvel cinematic universe, brings more than just superheroes to the big screen. Among the stars are Nema and Tango, two felines with charisma that rivals any A-lister. These frisky furballs take on the role of Goose, an orange tabby alien that fans first fell in love with in Captain Marvel.
These aren’t the same cats from the original movie. Director Nia DaCosta, with her discerning eye, sought felines with unique personalities missing in Captain Marvel’s quartet of Goose actors. Enter Nema and Tango, each with their specialty. Jo Vaughan, the cat trainer responsible for their on-screen brilliance, shared that Nema is the stunt star, while Tango’s irresistible looks make him perfect for those mesmerizing close-ups.
Per SlashFilm, filming with felines, however, is not always smooth sailing. Any cat lover can attest to the unpredictable nature of these creatures, but what happens when they’re placed on a movie set? According to Vaughan, things can get amusingly wild. Recounting a particular incident, she mentioned,
“The naughtiest thing one of them did happened when we were on one of the sets where the ground was quite gravelly. We were all ready to go and it was just a giant cat litter box. He didn’t go to the toilet on set, but he came out and just started rolling around in it straight away.”
Not exactly the action the scene called for.
The Marvels: The Untold Tales of Rigorous Cat Training and Kitty Overruns
Another interesting challenge was filming with Brie Larson. As it turns out, Larson is allergic to cats. So, on days when Nema and Tango were on set, Larson had to be replaced by either an extra or a stunt double. In certain instances, it was Vaughan herself, or a member from her team, who stepped in to ensure the cats delivered their best performance.
The hard work certainly paid off. Vaughan emphasized the rigorous training Nema and Tango underwent.
“We had a three-month training period. I read through the script, and marked down all the actions that the cat needed to do. These cats go onto set knowing everything that they’re going to do. When we come to shoot, we break it down day-by-day. The day before we will prep what we’re going to do the next day so it’s fresh in their mind.”
Yet, Vaughan also touched upon the challenges of handling cats in such a high-pressure environment. She remarked that the vast sets, large crew, and time limits are overwhelming for cats. Amplifying this challenge is the presence of ten kittens on set, alluding to a potential kitty takeover. Fans have already had a glimpse of this in The Marvels‘ promotional materials. However, a burning question remains: Are all these cats otherworldly beings like Goose, or just regular Earth cats? We’ll have to wait for the movie’s release to find out.
Prepare to be enamored not just by superheroes, but also by some scene-stealing felines. The Marvels is set to dazzle theaters on Nov. 10, 2023.