Chris Pratt is the newest voice of the titular orange cat in 2024 The Garfield movieAnd here’s how Pratt’s voice compares to Bill Murray’s Garfield performance from the 2004 film. Garfield is one of the most iconic characters in cartoon history, with Garfield appearing in all kinds of movies, TV shows, TV specials and more since his comic strip debut. Bill Murray famously voices the orange cat in 2004’s Garfield: The Movie As well as its sequel Garfield: A Tale of Two KittiesBut Chris Pratt’s The Garfield movie Performance goes in a completely different direction.
The character of Garfield may have started in comic strips, but almost every fan of the character knows exactly how the cat is supposed to sound. Voice actor Lorenzo Music was the original voice of Garfield, with him voicing the cat making up the vast majority of his appearances throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Although music sadly died in 2001, His Garfield voice became a staple of the characterWith him perfectly capturing the cat’s lazy personality and monotone delivery. Both Bill Murray and Chris Pratt tried to recreate the tone, and here’s how they did it.
Chris Pratt’s Garfield voice does not change from his regular speaking tone
It is reminiscent of Emmet & Mario
On the announcement that Chris Pratt would be voicing Garfield The Garfield movieMany fans of the actor wondered what his take on the character would be like. Pratt’s best known voice acting roles from his past, The Being something from The LEGO Movie Films and Mario from The Super Mario Bros. MovieBoth used his regular speaking tone, with him not really attempting to do a unique voice. While Garfield’s voice is iconic, the same can be said for Mario, and that didn’t stop Pratt from using his natural tone when bringing the character to life.
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So, Chris Pratt uses his normal voice in The Garfield movieWith him not trying to try something new. While Pratt is definitely acting in The Garfield movieGiving a performance that sells the comic and dramatic beats, it’s impossible not to hear Pratt throughout the film. Chris Pratt doesn’t make that many changes when he voices Garfield, with this being one of the most divisive parts of 2024 The Garfield movie.
Bill Murray’s Garfield voice is more similar to the original cartoon actor
It matches the voice of Lorenzo’s music
Although other voice actors have taken on the role of Garfield between the two actors, Bill Murray is the most notable actor to have voiced him before Chris Pratt. Murray took on the role of Garfield in two live-action films Garfield Movies of the 2000s, with the orange cat being a CGI character in the films. Although Bill Murray is mostly using his regular speaking tone as well, his natural voice fits Garfield incredibly well. While Murray famously regrets his Garfield Casting, he was an almost perfect choice, with him being one of the celebrities who most sounds like the character.
Bill Murray is most suitable for the role of Garfield Garfield’s original voice actor, Lorenzo Music. The voice that music does in the Garfield Animated cartoons just so happens to be incredibly similar to Bill Murray’s natural voice, which is why the comedian works so well as the character in the 2000s movies. So, although Bill Murray may not give the performance of a lifetime in Garfield: The Movie And Garfield: A Tale of Two KittiesHis voice fits the character incredibly well.
Which actor’s Garfield voice is more suitable for the iconic cartoon cat
Bill Murray’s voice is much better
Although both actors do a good job, Bill Murray’s take on Garfield is definitely more fitting for the iconic cartoon cat. Throughout Bill Murray’s filmography, the actor is often seen as sarcastic, lazy, and monotone characters, with these three traits perfectly summing up the character of Garfield. Because of this, Murray was a natural fit for the character, with him being one of the few actors who could have successfully taken on the role without seriously altering his voice.
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Chris Pratt, on the other hand, is not known for these traits. Instead, Pratt is known for being youthful, wide-eyed and energetic, all things that completely contradict Garfield’s character. Pratt has not played a character like Garfield beforeAnd while that’s not inherently a bad thing, it makes selling his natural voice as Garfield’s that much more difficult. Audience expectations go a long way when trying to cast a new actor as an iconic character, and Chris Pratt’s role in The Garfield movie Did not do the best job to meet the expectations.