Rebel Wilson To Play Jennyanydots In Universal-Working Title’s ‘Cats’

EXCLUSIVE: Count Rebel Wilson in as part of Tom Hooper’s upcoming feature adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats for Universal and Working Title.

Wilson will portray the old Gumbie cat Jennyanydots, who has a reputation for being lazy. In Cats lore she’s known to spend her days seeking out the warm and sunny spots where she sits, and sits, and sits, and sleeps as the hours tick by. But when the moon rises, she’s alive and bakes and fries, and teaches the mice “knitting, crocheting and tatting.” On top of that, she employs the cockroaches to be her troop of helpful boy scouts.

The Cats cast has been rehearsing at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, UK for a December 20, 2019 theatrical release. Wilson joins a huge ensemble that includes Jennifer Hudson (Grizabella), Taylor Swift, James Corden, Ian McKellen (Gus the Theatre Cat), Judi Dench (Deuteronomy), Idris Elba (Macavity), and Royal Ballet principal dancers Steven McRae (Skimbleshanks) and Francesca Hayward (Victoria).

Hooper and Lee Hall adapted the musical’s story. Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, as well as Hooper and Debra Hayward, produce. Steven Spielberg, Lloyd Webber and Angela Morrison are EPs.

Wilson can next be seen starring in Warner Bros’ romantic comedy Isn’t It Romantic opposite Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine and Priyanka Chopra, due out on Valentine’s Day 2019. It’s the first film released that Wilson has a producer credit on. Next May, she can be seen starring opposite Anne Hathaway in MGM’s The Hustle, a remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and produced through her company Camp Sugar. Next fall, Wilson can be seen in Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit opposite Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson.

Wilson is repped by WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

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