Lady and The Tramp on Disney Plus – Interviews with the Leading Men

During my secret visit to the set of Lady and the Tramp in Savannah Georgia, my blogger friends and I were pleased to interview Thomas Mann (Jim Dear) and Adrian Martinez (the dog catcher). They are both such humble, sweet, and lovely people all around and I’m really excited to help you get to know them a bit better.

When we talked to Adrian, he told us he actually didn’t know mom bloggers existed! We all got a good chuckle out of that. When asked about what he thought about being in a classic, he absolutely lit up.

I flipped out it was so cool, I mean it’s Disney. Lady and the Tramp, I mean everything, I was like oh my god this is huge. And then I Googled it and they had these pictures on Google of the nineteen fifties movie with the dog catcher and I was like that could be me, so it was trippy to be part of this legacy, it’s a great thrill.

He auditioned by sending in a self-tape, and then a few days later heard he was cast. Adrian really considers himself a Disney fan, so you can imagine how amazed he was about this dream coming true.

I am very much a Disney fan. I have a 13  year old [son]  and I took him to Disneyland for the first time a year ago.

Adrian actually really likes dogs, and he has loved working with the dogs on set. He has his own dog at home, a pug named Milo, who is 14 years old and in a little wheelchair, yet Adrian says he’s still super fast and a sweetheart. It makes his role as the dog catcher all the more ironic, doesn’t it?

I love Monty who plays Tramp and Rose who plays Lady. These dogs are the real deal. They were strays and it’s very interesting because you work with the dog and they have the handler just off camera. And the dog will get a note and then they get a treat. So we do the scene and Monty did what he was supposed to and he got a treat and I was like “well, where’s my treat?”

I love the dogs, there are 3 Tramps, 3 Ladies, but Monty and Rose are the stars. They’re just gorgeous animals and really sweet and loving, which is a challenge to me, because I’m the antagonist trying to catch Tramp. It was great, just a wonderful experience, my first time working with animals.

He also talked about filming to us. Sometimes Adrian will throw in a little improv for his scenes, but he said he really loved the script for Lady and The Tramp, so it wasn’t even very necessary. He also told us how much he loved filming in Savannah.

This is the ultimate city for this movie, it’s perfect. It’s so quiet and chill here, you really feel like it’s 1910. We filmed in Wright Square and they set up the scene where they introduce my character to the movie. And then I see Tramp and I chase him. The whole block was totally cool with 1910 store fronts and everything.

Adrian has nothing but praise for the whole cast. He’s honored to be part of such a wonderful project, and he loves Thomas Mann and Kiersey Clemens most.

We’ve got a great cast. Kiersey’s great, Thomas Mann, I mean the world is theirs, they’re like 20 and starring in this movie and you just want to smack them. They’re just great.

As for Thomas, he was also extremely excited to be invited to play Jim Dear. He only had one audition, working through scenes with the director, and they called him back just a few days later to tell him he got the part!

I had been wanting to work with Kiersey for a long time. I was totally thrilled then to be a part of The Lady and the Tramp legacy. It’s a huge deal. And I’ve never worked for Disney before, either.

One of his favorite parts in this role is how expansive this retelling of Lady and The Tramp is. Thomas is a really wonderful actor, and he really acts and looks like what a real-life version of Jim Dear would be like. Disney always does a marvelous job casting, and Lady and The Tramp is no exception.

The world is much bigger than in the 1955 animated version. It allows me and Kiersey to flesh out our characters more than they were. You catch little glimpses of them in the animated version, but you don’t really get to know who they are as people.

In this one they’re still supporting characters – it’s still all about the dogs – but you get to know them, and you get a better sense of their personalities.

Thomas Mann is particularly thrilled about what this role means for his career as an actor. Thomas called it an ‘upgrade,’ because he’s used to playing younger roles, as a son, or a high school or college student. Now he gets to play a young father, husband, and he said it was really great progress for him.

I’ve watched [Lady and The Tramp] countless times. I hadn’t seen it in many years, before I got this part, but then I watched it again recently, and it lives up! And it doesn’t feel like it’s just for kids. It’s very thoughtful and kind of heart-wrenching in some ways, too. It’s a beautiful movie.

We also asked him about what it was like to work with Rose and Monty. He’s still impressed with the fact that they are rescues, and were trained to be in this movie. Those dogs are talented.

I love Rose, who’s playing Lady. We’ve gotten so much time to bond with them off set. While we were doing rehearsals we got to just spend a lot of time playing with them and getting to work with the trainers, which was really important, because now they are familiar with us, and they’re willing to work when we show up and listen.

And then Monty, also is just the sweetest dog. I don’t have as much to do with him in the movie except for a few scenes, but he’s also so great.

From costumes to working with the dogs and babies, Thomas Mann really seems like he’s at home on set, and he looks comfortable embracing this new journey. He told us that sometimes it takes a little patience, but that this has been an amazing experience for him.

Disney+’s “Lady and the Tramp,” is a timeless retelling of the 1955 animated classic, now combining live-action and photorealistic animation, featuring our pampered house dog Lady (Tessa Thompson) and our tough but lovable stray, Tramp (Justin Theroux), as they embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.

Lady’s owners, Jim Dear (Thomas Mann) and Darling (Kiersey Clemons), spoil her daily, and her neighbors, Jock, an outspoken Scottish Terrier and Trusty (Sam Elliott), a world-weary Bloodhound, are always within barking distance. Until a baby enters the picture and Lady is no longer the center of attention. The arrival of cat-loving Aunt Sarah (Yvette Nicole Brown) only complicates matters.

This heartwarming romantic adventure is directed by Charlie Bean from a screenplay by Andrew Bujalski and Kari Granlund, and is produced by Brigham Taylor with Diane L. Sabatini serving as executive producer. 

Remember to follow the “Lady and the Tramp” adventures using #LadyandTheTramp and #DisneyPlus, and like Lady and the Tramp on Facebook, follow Disney+ on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Founder of the Positive MOM® and creator of the S.T.O.R.Y. System: a blueprint to craft and share powerful stories that will transform your results and help others do the same. Dr. Elayna Fernández is a single mom of 4, an award-winning Storyteller, Story Strategist, and Student of Pain. She’s a bestselling author, internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, and 5x TEDx speaker. She has spoken at the United Nations, received the President’s Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award, and was selected as one of the Top Impactful Leaders and a Woman of Influence by SUCCESS Magazine. Connect with Elayna at thepositivemom.com/ef and follow @thepositivemom. To receive a gift from Elayna, click HERE.

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