Andy Serkis, also known as Andrew Clement Serkis, is an English actor, producer, and director. He is best known for his motion capture acting in various roles. Some of his best motion-capturing roles are as Gollum in the LOTR trilogy and Hobbit and as Caesar in the Planet of the Apes trilogy. Serkis is one of the highest-earning actors of all time. He has won accolades like the BAFTA and Daytime Emmy for his performances. He is hailed as one of the best performance-capturing actors. Serkis is praised for his work on films like ‘King Kong‘, ‘The Adventures of Tintin‘, ‘The Last Jedi’, and ‘The Force Awakens‘.
Recently, Andy Serkis revealed that his portrayal of Gollum, a funny-looking character, wasn’t received well in the beginning. He disclosed that fans and even his peers mocked him for his portrayal of Gollum in the LOTR trilogy. What happened and why was Serkis mocked for playing Gollum? Read on to find out.
Related: What Is The Correct Order To Watch The ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Films?
Reactions To Andy Serkis’ Role Of Gollum
Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings‘, has admitted that he originally faced mockery for the part. On the Lord of the Rings production, comments about Andy Serkis’ portrayal of Gollum first made him the target for mocking. Serkis played the role of Gollum who possessed One Ring and was deformed due to the ring’s possession.
In an interview recently Andy Serkis revealed his and his character’s treatment by saying, “When ‘The Lord of the Rings’ originally came out, there would be literally people who would say: ‘Who is that character? Is he a dancer? Is he a contortionist?‘” He further added his peers’ thoughts on motion capturing, saying, “Older actors were like: ‘You wouldn’t catch me dead doing motion capture. It’s the end of our profession.‘”
Serkis also talked about the public’s reaction to his role. He said, “There were lots of jokes about it; you know, Saturday Night Live things with people in suits with ping pong balls attached. It was ripe for ridiculing – and rightly so.” He strongly felt that the character was fast becoming the butt of the jokes.
In Case You Missed It: ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Cast: Where Are They Now?
Gollum Changed Andy Serkis’ Life
While the start of his motion-capturing acting wasn’t the best, both the character of Gollum and Serkis himself had the last laugh as the character went on to become very popular. Naturally, his hindsight is always 20/20. We are all aware of how immensely popular ‘The Lord of the Rings‘ trilogy was and how well-known Gollum’s character would become. Along with that, many more studios started using motion capture acting for their movies. The most famous uses of motion capture acting have been in the Marvel movies and Avatar movies.
Nowadays, Serkis is a household celebrity most recognized for popularizing motion capture. But he has also appeared in innumerable films and transformed Hollywood. He also brought his motion capture acting to films like ‘Planet of the Apes‘, ‘King Kong‘, and ‘Andor‘. Since revolutionizing the business with ‘The Lord of the Rings‘, Serkis has gained recognition in Hollywood. Despite the initial ridicule he may have received for his portrayal, he is now a much-respected actor.
You May Also Like To Read: Top 5 Movies With The Most Oscar Wins
