- Title: Kate Middleton makes feline friend at 'Street Cat' premiere
- Date: 3rd November 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (NOVEMBER 3, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** WIDE OF RED CARPET SIGN ADVERTISING FILM 'A STREET CAT NAMED BOB' SIGN ADVERTISING FILM FANS JUMPER READING (English): "REAL BOBITES LOVE CATS" TEDDY OF JAMES BOWEN AND BOB THE CAT VARIOUS OF BOB THE CAT AND JAMES BOWEN ARRIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS BOB THE CAT AND JAMES BOWEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUTHOR, JAMES BOWEN, SAYING: "It's all very meta as I've said before. He's just, he gave me the reason to get up in the morning. He gave me a reason to get up in the morning really and not just to exist but to have a life and now I'm standing here being able to be a voice for those who don't have a voice and things like that and a movie about a part of our lives, it's mind blowing. It really is." BOWEN AND BOB CLOSE OF BOB THE CAT (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUTHOR, JAMES BOWEN, SAYING: "I'd like people to be able to see the other side of life and how everybody's not just in that one particular category and there is a way for people to take a second chance, people are offered them every single day. All you've got to do is take it." BOWEN AND BOB VARIOUS OF ACTORS, LUKE TREADAWAY, AND RUTA GEDMINTAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, LUKE TREADAWAY, SAYING ABOUT ACTING WITH AN ANIMAL: "Unique. I'd never done it before. I'd had a cat when I was a kid that looked a lot like Bob. So, I like cats and I don't have any and it wasn't kind of a usual experience filming in Covent Garden with the real Bob on your shoulders. But it was amazing. He was a professional, I have to say. I mean, he would just know what he had to do and it was great and it was easier than I thought it would be I have to say." TREADAWAY AND BOWEN TAG HANDS TREADAWAY TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, LUKE TREADAWAY, SAYING ABOUT WHAT MESSAGE MOVIE SENDS: "I would just love if it opens people's eyes to realising that we're all so close to finding ourselves in a position which isn't as comfortable as we might be used to and it can go so quickly from living at home with a family to finding yourself living in a sleeping bag on the streets and I just want people to I suppose see that there's a real human being behind each of those stories and not to just blanket people with a title, and saying right they're homeless people and they're addicts and realise that there are human beings under all of that just trying to recover." VARIOUS OF JOANNE FROGGATT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, JOANNE FROGGATT, SAYING ABOUT ACTING WITH AN ANIMAL: "I mean Bob is just the ultimate professional really. We had a team of cats that were playing Bob but actually Bob did most of his own work because he was the best trained cat, I know I'm not allowed to say that but he was because of his relationship with James. So, him and James were on set everyday. So, it was incredible. It definitely adds a different element. It keeps you on your toes." VARIOUS OF KATE MIDDLETON ARRIVING FOR PREMIERE
- Embargoed: 18th November 2016 21:13
- Keywords: premiere film movie A Street Cat Named Bob James Bowen
- Location: UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS / LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS / LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA00256W7GP9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: ADDITIONAL SHOTS OF KATE MIDDLETON MEETING BOB THE CAT INCLUDED IN EDIT
The heart-warming true story of a stray cat that helped change the life of a London busker musician gets a big screen adaptation in "A Street Cat Named Bob", a comedy drama which premiered in the British capital on Thursday (November 3).
Based on the book of the same name, the film stars "Clash of the Titans" actor Luke Treadaway as James Bowen, a recovering drug addict who upon returning from busking one evening in spring 2007 found an injured ginger cat at his sheltered accommodation.
Bowen nursed the animal, whom he named Bob, back to health and soon realised the cat was inseparable from him, following him as he went busking in London's central Covent Garden area.
The sight of Bob on Bowen's shoulders or sitting by his feet as he performed on the streets caught the attention of an increasing numbers of passers-by and led to a life turnaround and best-selling book for the busker.
"It's all very meta as I've said before. He's just, he gave me the reason to get up in the morning. He gave me a reason to get up in the morning really and not just to exist but to have a life and now I'm standing here being able to be a voice for those who don't have a voice and things like that and a movie about a part of our lives, it's mind-blowing. It really is," Bowen told Reuters on the red carpet with Bob perched on his shoulders.
While producers had several cats on hand for the shoot, Bob also starred as himself, with co-stars Treadaway and "Downton Abbey" actress Joanne Froggatt describing him as "a professional" on set.
"Unique. I'd never done it before. I'd had a cat when I was a kid that looked a lot like Bob. So, I like cats and I don't have any and it wasn't kind of a usual experience filming in Covent Garden with the real Bob on your shoulders. But it was amazing. He was a professional, I have to say. I mean, he would just know what he had to do and it was great and it was easier than I thought it would be I have to say," Treadaway said.
Bob lay on Bowen's shoulders throughout media interviews on the red carpet ahead of the film's screening, for which the two were joined by Prince William's wife Kate, who attended as patron of the Action on Addiction charity.
Fans cheered as they saw him, with some saying they had travelled from as far as the United States for the premiere. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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