In a delightful blend of feline fascination and Hollywood intrigue, Taylor Swift Love for Cats was pivotal in shaping the 2024 mystery thriller Argylle. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, the movie features a kitty sidekick named Alfie, carried around by Bryce Dallas Howard’s character, Elly Conway. But how did Taylor Swift’s love for her feline companions influence this cinematic adventure?
Taylor Swift Love for Cats
In the movie’s trailer, Howard’s character has a Scottish Fold cat — similar to Swift’s pet Meredith Grey — which she puts in an argyle-patterned backpack she brings with her while she embarks on her own spy adventure. The cat is also featured on a poster for the movie.
Swift is known to be a cat lover and owns three furry felines: Meredith, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button. Benjamin even joined her for her Time‘s 2023 Person of the Year photo shoot.
Vaughn drew inspiration from a scene in Swift’s Netflix documentary, Miss Americana. In the documentary, Swift wears a cat backpack containing her Scottish Fold cat, Olivia.
“I saw a Taylor Swift documentary where she had her cat in a cat pack, and I remember thinking it was a crazy image,” Vaughn told THR, a sister publication to Billboard.
According to the filmmaker, an earlier version of Argylle‘s script had Howard’s Elly Conway leave Alfie behind as a spy, played by Sam Rockwell, whisks her into a world of violence and espionage. But Vaughn changed his mind, and the little cat became one of the movie’s big selling points.
“I thought having the three of them go on an adventure together would be fantastic,” he added. However, I was nervous about it being a cat because cats aren’t exactly the most trainable animals.
The article—aptly titled “Cats Are Finally Having a Big Hollywood Meow-Ment”—also credits Swift with giving the creatures a popularity boost with her own love of cats. The 14-time Grammy winner is also cat mom to kitties Meredith and Benjamin, posing with the latter on the cover of Time for her December Person of the Year interview.
It’s only fitting that Swift played a small part in influencing Argylle, considering how many people suspected she secretly authored the real-life Elly Conway’s book of the same name, which the film was based on. Shortly before the flick hit theatres, though, Vaughn confirmed it wasn’t the case.
The whimsical image of a cat nestled in a backpack left a lasting impression on Vaughn, leading him to incorporate a similar concept into Argylle.
Despite initial reservations about using a cat (given their notorious independence), Vaughn decided that having Elly, Alfie, and the spy character played by Sam Rockwell embark on an adventure together would be nothing short of fantastic.
Also Read Exclusive News Box Office: Matthew Vaughn’s ‘Argylle’ Struggles with $18M U.S. Debut.
Swift’s Influence on Cat Content:
The article titled “Cats Are Finally Having a Big Hollywood Meow-Ment” credits Swift with boosting the popularity of these enigmatic creatures.
As a proud cat mom to kitties Meredith and Benjamin, Swift’s love for her feline companions resonates with audiences worldwide.
Her December Time cover, where she posed with Benjamin, further solidified her status as a cat enthusiast.
The Elly Conway Connection:
Many speculated that Swift secretly authored the real-life Elly Conway’s book, which served as the basis for Argylle.
Vaughn confirmed that Swift wasn’t the author, but her influence was undeniable.
Bryce Dallas Howard, who portrayed Elly, admitted that she shaped her performance with Swift in mind. “She is a cat lady,” Howard shared on The Graham Norton Show. “She loves a good argyle sweater, and there is a sort of unapologetic dorkiness about her. That’s a little bit like what my character is like.”
Swift’s fingerprints may not be on the novel, but her love for cats left an indelible mark on Argylle.
From cat backpacks to adventurous feline sidekicks, the film weaves together Hollywood intrigue and the charm of our feline friends.
So, next time you watch Argylle, remember that Taylor Swift’s passion for cats played a delightful role in this cinematic escapade!
