Drawing inspiration from the strategic card game Exploding Kittens, the animated series of the same name debuted on Netflix on July 12th. Boasting a production team backed by top industry figures and one of the card game’s co-creators, Matthew Inman, as the chief creative officer, the Exploding Kittens show marks the culmination of over two years of work. Channeling the spirit of the game, the series presents a delightfully quirky tale. It follows God, fired from his job and sent to Earth for redemption, but with a humorous twist: he’s trapped in a chubby cat’s body throughout the ordeal.
Spoilers for
Exploding Kittens
ahead.
Consisting of nine episodes, Exploding Kittens stars Tom Ellis as the self-absorbed protagonist, Godcat, with Sasheer Zamata starring opposite as Devilcat. Game Rant recently had the opportunity to sit down with both Tom Ellis and Sasheer Zamata for an in-depth discussion exploring their creative processes and how they brought these unique personalities to life. The following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Unveiling the Witty Personalities Behind the Paws
Q: In the show, we see that Godcat is initially displeased about being sent to Earth after being accused of ineptitude. However, as he spends more time with his human family, he starts to care for them. Are there any aspects of Godcat’s journey that you’re excited for the viewers to experience?
Tom Ellis: The fact that it is a journey is something I’m very excited about. It’s a zany comedy with lots of punchlines in it and it lives in that world, but there is a progression of these characters that happens throughout the series. I hope that we surprise people along the way, in the same way that Godcat gets surprised himself because he starts to experience “feels.”
Q: Devilcat is essentially the counterpart to Godcat, though she struggles with being evil. Considering that the Exploding Kittens card game thrives on chaos, sabotage, and comedy, how did you incorporate these elements into your portrayal of her?
Sasheer Zamata: It’s fun because she’s an interesting character to play! She wants to be evil, she tries her hardest, but never really gets there. I think it’s enjoyable to see this character’s version of chaos, where it’s like ripping up a teddy bear or spilling something. She’s like, “Ha! Got you!” Except, it’s apparent she’s still struggling. It’s a fun journey to watch in the show because you kind of want her to win and turn evil, but at the same time, evil isn’t necessarily something the audience should want. Should she be the person who fills the shoes of her dad, who is Satan? So far, no. But, we’ll see!
Q: Both Godcat and Devilcat are incredibly interesting characters with diverse backgrounds. Were there any unique methods that you used to develop your character’s personality or voice?
Tom Ellis: Weirdly, Godcat’s voice came about after I did a job with an actor, Charles Dance. He’s a very famous British actor with a very imposing physicality and voice. I played his son in this job, and we spent a lot of time together. Over this time, I developed this impression of Charles, which I have done to his face so he knows about it! Then this role came in, and I was like “Hold on a minute. This voice that’s slowly been cultivated over this job, I think could be applied to Godcat. It feels very right.” So inadvertently, Charles Dance is the voice of Godcat.
Sasheer Zamata: I was thinking about what it might be like for a very innocent type of person to try and be evil. It was a flailing, desperate type of energy that was very fun to do! I feel that the vocal range is still my voice, but there are some high highs and low lows in these extremes.
Q: Were you already familiar with the Exploding Kittens card game before joining the cast, and if so, how did this influence your approach to the role?
Tom Ellis: I hate this question because I have to admit I wasn’t. However, I very quickly became aware through my children that the Exploding Kittens card game was incredibly popular. I am an ignorant person. I don’t know much, in my defense!
Sasheer Zamata: I had heard of it, but I was not a game person. Now, because there are so many people in my life who play games, I have been introduced to a lot of games. Exploding Kittens is one of them. I still don’t know if I fully understand it, but I think I won and that was the best part.
[END]
Exploding Kittens is available now on Netflix.
Leave a Reply