Cecily Strong admits she spent “zero” time with her Garfield costars before meeting them at the movie’s Los Angeles premiere.
“[We] just [met] on the carpet,” Strong, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting the film and her partnership with Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “That was it for me. I was just in the booth by myself for the whole [time]. So it was exciting to finally meet them.”
Strong costars in the animated feature alongside fellow A-listers like Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Bowen Yang, Janelle James and Snoop Dogg. The film, which hits theaters on Friday, May 24, follows Garfield (Pratt) as he has an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father (Jackson), a scruffy street cat who draws him into a high-stakes heist. Strong plays Marge, a very dedicated security guard.
“[Marge] is a tough broad from Wisconsin,” the Saturday Night Live alum told Us of her character. “She’s the head of security for the milk factory. I grew up outside of Chicago, but all the Midwest is sometimes connected. So I felt like I was channeling some friends’ moms, some friends of mine growing up.”
Strong explained that as a longtime fan of Garfield herself, she was excited about the role and getting to watch a “new generation of kids” enjoy the famous orange cat. “I have a lot of inside jokes, even with friends from 20 years ago [thanks to] Garfield,” she added. “I have a couple of friends who are more excited that I did Garfield than anything else I’ve done.”
Garfield’s ability to resonate with both kids and adults is another reason the franchise is so special, Strong said, noting that the movie finds a “sweet spot” all ages can laugh at.
“It’s exciting that [Garfield] is still thriving in society, that we get these characters that will last forever,” she continued. “I mean, I, as an adult, appreciate so much. This is the guy who loves Italian food and naps. That’s a man after my own heart.”
Garfield began with an original comic strip — Jon, later changed to Garfield — created by Jim Davis in 1976. The fuzzy feline, however, has become a mainstay of pop culture over the years, spinning off into three TV shows and two previous feature films, 2004’s Garfield: The Movie and 2006’s Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties.
Beyond the nostalgia and the laughter, Strong told Us that her love for animals was a big motivating factor when signing onto the film. The Schmigadoon star, who is a dog mom herself, teamed up with Hill’s Pet Nutrition for its Senior Pet Adoption Campaign, which she promoted while attending the film’s L.A. premiere earlier this week.
“I think it was a very easy yes for me,” she said of partnering with the brand. “They’re spotlighting senior dogs and instead of being a parent of a senior dog, there’s a lot of anxiety. And I know going to the vet, I’m terrified to do. I’m like, ‘Someone else do it. Please.’ And so I love this idea of celebrating them and letting people celebrate them as they get another year older. I really like that.”
Strong added that she also hopes to change the “mindset” of pet adoptions, urging people to consider bringing adult and senior dogs into their family.
“I know [my dog] Lucy, she certainly has maybe even more personality now than when I got her,” she explained. “And I feel like she’s got a lot of life left to live and I love the chance to celebrate that.”
The Garfield Movie hits theaters on Friday, May 24.
With reporting by Sarah Jones
