Mark Ruffalo’s latest role may be one of his most fitting yet. The Oscar-nominated actor was a priority get for Pixar’s upcoming animated feature Gatto, and according to the film’s director, his lifelong affection for cats played a surprising role in landing him the part.
Ruffalo stars as Nero, a scrappy black cat navigating the winding canals of Venice while struggling with an identity crisis after years of working for the city’s ruthless feline mob boss, Rocco, voiced by Laurence Fishburne.
Directed by Luca filmmaker Enrico Casarosa and produced by Andrea Warren, Gatto is scheduled to arrive exclusively in theaters on March 5, 2027.
Cats Were Everyone’s Motivation
While Ruffalo’s acclaimed performances in films like Spotlight, Poor Things, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe certainly made him an attractive choice, Casarosa revealed there was another, much more personal reason he wanted the actor for the role.
“Mark is amazing. He hasn’t done a lot of animation. There was something appealing about having someone who hasn’t done a lot of parts in this world. And we noticed that he loved cats. On his Instagram, he had a lot of photos of cats, so we’re like, ‘Maybe we can get him to like this.'” Casarosa joked in an interview with Cinemablend.
When Pixar approached Ruffalo about the project, the director said the actor’s response was immediate. “When we pitched him, you could tell [he was like,] ‘Well, I have to do it. I love cats.’ So we had that on our side.”
Ruffallo Has Long Been A Celebrity ‘Cat Dad’
That enthusiasm shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to fans who follow Ruffalo online. The actor has frequently shared photos of cats on social media over the years, posting snapshots of his own feline companions and expressing his admiration for the animals.
Casarosa also praised Ruffalo’s acting style, explaining that the filmmakers wanted a performer who could capture Nero’s imperfect but lovable personality.
“His style is so wonderful and so natural, but it also has this kind of voice where he can do—we needed someone who would do the wrong thing. Because this is a troublemaker. But not through his own fault.”
‘Gatto’ Is More Small-Scale Story For Pixar
The teaser trailer introduces audiences to Nero and Rocco in a humorous interrogation scene that quickly dissolves into classic cat behavior when all three felines become distracted by a dangling pull cord instead of the missing tuna they’re trying to recover. The sequence perfectly captures the blend of organized-crime parody and authentic feline antics that Pixar hopes will define the film.
With Ruffalo’s genuine love of cats influencing his casting, a celebrated creative team reunited from Luca, and Laurence Fishburne providing the voice of Nero’s intimidating mob boss, Gatto is already shaping up to be one of Pixar’s most anticipated original films.
If the teaser is any indication, audiences can expect equal parts heartfelt storytelling, quirky humor, and plenty of unmistakably cat-like chaos when the film arrives in theaters next spring.
