Set for release in February 2024, the highly anticipated movie Argylle stars Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson – and last but not least, Chip, playing Alfie the cat.
So how did Chip end up in this ensemble cast featuring some of Hollywood’s most popular human actors? Did he work his way up from commercials or act in theater productions for years? Did he strike out on dozens of auditions but purrrsevered until he landed his big break?
NOPE! In a clear case of celebrity pet nepotism, Chip just happens to be the family cat of the movie’s director, Matthew Vaughn, and his wife, supermodel Claudia Schiffer. Check out the teaser trailer featuring Chip below.
Chip also made his first TV appearance alongside his fur mom, Claudia, on The Jonathan Ross Show. Schiffer touches on how the feline actor who was originally cast for the role was fired on the first day – Leading to her cat conveniently landing the role. Claudia also says the original cat was a terrible actor and was very expensive.
despite the recent backlash against human nepo babies, this nepo fur baby is leaning into it. His Instagram bio reads, “Star of @argyllemovie, author, model, entrepreneur, influencer, nepo kitty.” He launched his IG account, @chipthecat, in September, and has been throwing down sassy posts ever since. Chip is a big fan of Taylor Swift (also a fur mom to nepo Scottish Fold kitties) and also posts about her, which has led to many Swifties becoming Chip fans.
Related: Taylor Swift named Time Magazine’s (Cat) Person of the Year
Chip’s first book, Blue Chip: Confessions of Claudia Schiffer’s Cat, is also conveniently being released just before his movie. But will he admit his fur mom helped him write it? Prob not.
Chip also cracked a joke that he passed on the role of Goose in The Marvels. For our feature on this feline actor, meet Tango, who plays Goose the cat in The Marvels movie.
We had a cat on the first day of filming and I fired the cat. It was very expensive and a pain in the a**. Then I went home and went into my daughter’s bedroom and said, ‘I’m going to borrow your cat’. I didn’t quite think it through that I’d have to drive to work with a cat every day. I didn’t like cats, but to be very clear I’m a dog person. And now a cat person as well.
Matthew Vaughn, NYCC 2023, October 2023
In the clip above, Vaugh also shares that he gave one of Chip’s cousins to Argylle costar Bryce Dallas Howard. And in case you didn’t know, Claudia Schiffer actually has two more Scottish Fold cats (that have yet to land any major movie or modeling gigs)
And for a rescue to riches celebrity pet success story: Sarah Jessica Parker adopted Lotus, her cat costar “Shoe,” from And Just Like That.
