The action comedy “Cat and Dog” is currently in theaters. But who are the voices of the animals Diva and Chichi?
Dog and Cat by Reem Kherici is currently in cinemas. For her third feature film, the director chose to make a film combining real shots and computer-generated images.
The feature film led by Franck Dubosc, Reem Kherici and Philippe Lacheau follows the adventures of Diva, a social media star cat, and Chichi, a street dog. They find themselves left to their own devices after losing their respective masters. Then begins a crazy journey between Montreal and New York with on one side humans who have lost track of their animals and on the other, the animals left to their own devices to find their masters…
And to create the star animal of the film, the filmmaker was inspired by her cat Diva, a Maine Coon who already appeared in her first feature film Paris at all costs.
On the casting side, Reem Kherici plays the leading role in the film while Franck Dubosc plays Jack, a jewel thief and Philippe Lacheau lends his features to the policeman Brandt. This is the seventh feature film together for Reem Kherici and Philippe Lacheau.
Friends for more than 20 years, the two actors and directors from La Bande à Fifi appear in their respective films. During our meeting with Reem Kherici to promote her film, the latter returned to this friendship.
We have a very strong work connection.
“Philippe and I have known each other for 20 years. We know each other very well and I can’t imagine a film without him being in the casting. I can’t imagine a film without him reading the script .We have a very strong working connection and there is also a lot of trust and admiration.
MANDARIN ET COMPAGNIE – LA STATION ANIMATION – GAUMONT – TF1 FILMS PRODUCTION – CANINE ET FELINE Philippe Lacheau in Dog and Cat
So I need his approval, it reassures me and his kindness and his demands are also keys for me to be able to move forward.” It was therefore quite natural that Kherici offered the role of Brandt to his accomplice. And to double the animal stars of her film, the director called on two comedians and actors.
Who doubles the cat Diva and the dog Chichi?
It’s Inès Reg who lends her voice to the cat Diva. This is the very first voice dubbing of the comedian and actress. Reem Kherici offered him the role after meeting him during the recording of the Prime Video show LOL: Who laughs, come out!
The director declares in the press kit: “I lived with Diva for 10 years. I knew her perfectly… For me, she wasn’t Duchess in The Aristocats. Diva is a kid, goofy and clumsy.
During the filming of the show LOL: Who laughs, get out! I met Inès Reg and I immediately fell in love with her. I didn’t know her well, I had just seen her famous video “When are you going to put glitter in my life Kevin?”. I had in front of me an ULTRA cute, cute girl, with a pretty, youthful voice. So I asked her to try out for the role of Diva, she accepted and she was exceptional! It was Diva, without a doubt…”
Gaumont
In the film, the royal Diva, must team up with a street puppy named Chichi. Reem Kherici then turned to Artus whom she had met on the set of Kheiron’s film, Brutus Vs Caesar.
“For Chichi, who is still a puppy, we needed a childish voice. But by casting young actors, I didn’t find the vox comica that I needed… So I turned to comedians in remembering Artus, with whom I shot the film Brutus vs Caesar and his childish side…
He has a sense of the valve, he’s a scavenger, a sniper and Chichi is like that too. So Artus also did some brilliant tests and I hired him. I am very happy with these two voice choices, especially since it is a very difficult exercise to play a character without physically embodying it. Inès, like Artus, was able to give a real identity to Diva and Chichi.” explains Reem Kherici.
Dog and cat can be seen at the cinema from 8 years old.