Andy Serkis’ 5 Best Performances
His accolades include 1 BAFTA from 2 nominations, 2 Empire awards from 5 nominations and 2 Screen Actors Guild awards from 4 nominations
Andy Serkis has helped to revolutionise the way an actor can perform on stage. Whether it is live-action or motion capture, this is an actor who truly disappears into his roles.
The usual question though – which are his best performances? Keep scrolling as we take a look into our take on Serkis in his best roles.
5. Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman (2022)
The latest take on Batman from director Matt Reeves has been met with critical acclaim from fans. Look to our review for an example. In particular, Serkis’ take on Bruce Wayne’s butler/bodyguard, Alfred Pennyworth, was very well received.
It can be admitted that this take on the character doesn’t get all that much screen time alongside Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne. However, this fresh take on their relationship is great to watch. With a much tougher and hardened take on Alfred, we can see how he hasn’t been the guardian Bruce needed growing up but was instrumental in creating the persona of the Dark Knight. It’s an interesting approach in having an Alfred who cares for Bruce, but is somewhat cold towards him and isn’t willing to fully help in his vigilantism to ensure he doesn’t get himself killed. Serkis serves it all very well and makes what he can of his time on screen.
Serkis did have some say in how Alfred appeared in the film. Though Reeves had written the use of a cane into the script, the actor suggested the use of facial scars. This was to double down on alluding to his history in the military.
4. Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi (2017)
The character that helped to give arguably the biggest shock of Episode VII. Though he is introduced in The Force Awakens, Supreme Leader Snoke has a much more prominent role in this eighth instalment of the Skywalker Saga. Directed by Rian Johnson, The Last Jedi features Snoke as the benevolent, somewhat cocky head honcho of The First Order.
Serkis takes on this role of a seemingly aged, wise and powerful dark user of the force and acts as a suitable replacement for overarching villain Emperor Palpatine. The actor is of course also using motion capture which he is very much at home with. Though, it’s really refreshing to see him using it for a very different character than he is used to.
To help in emphasising Snoke’s deformed look whilst performing in motion capture, Serkis would actually tape down the sides of his mouth. Now that’s just thinking outside the box, right?
RELATED ARTICLE: THE BATMAN REVIEW
3. Ulysses Klaue in Black Panther (2018)
Of course this guy is in the MCU! Much like Snoke, Serkis’ arms dealer Ulysses Klaus is first introduced in a small role in Avengers: Age of Ultron. This is before his bigger appearance in 2018’s Black Panther.
A one armed criminal with an eccentric side, his main bit of screen time in Black Panther allows us to watch as the actor has fun with the character. It also shows more than ever that he’s capable of turning in a truly amazing performance without spots on his face. The actor is beginning to break away from the motion capture stereotype. Though of course we hope he continues those types of roles!
Serkis’ impressed director Ryan Coogler extensively on set. This was due to his ability to fall and dive whilst maintaining scope and angling necessary for his character’s VFX on his arm. He was able to act as if his real arm wasn’t there quite effectively. What can you expect from the king of motion capture!?
2. Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
It can’t be forgotten that again, Serkis played this character in a previous film before this instalment. But you can’t deny this performance ups everything from Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Headed up by his future The Batman director Matt Reeves, Serkis returns as intelligent age Caesar, who now leads his tribe in their survival against humanity many years after the events of Rise. Unfortunately, he is met with revolt when he begins to trust a group of humans trying to provide energy for a small colony of survivors.
Needless to say, Serkis astounds as Caesar. Everything from facial expressions to movement are incredible and you forget this is all movie magic at play.
Unlike the previous film, a lot of the motion capture scenes could be filmed on exterior sets; something Serkis wasn’t fond of. According to him, this caused the motion capture actors to be very sweaty and smelly, with them keeping their distance from other people after a couple of days. Lovely.
1. Gollum in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Surely you knew this was nicking the top spot. Yes, Serkis’ performances as Gollum throughout the Lord of the Rings film are iconic. But none more so than in the first Hobbit film. Explaining how a younger Bilbo Baggins came into possession of the one ring, we are re-introduced to Gollum which takes us into one of the best and longest scenes from the character.
Serkis’ portrayal as Gollum across Martin Freeman’s Bilbo, though it is brief in the grand scheme of things, is as impressive as it gets. The motion capture is flawless. Serkis really digs deep into his performance and the scene plays out almost like a live show in real time. Only a scene or two and he damn near steals the show from the main actors of the film.
Serkis actually finished his scene within the first week a production, but stayed on with the film as second unit director.
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