Peter Jackson Laughed at Andy Serkis’ First Gollum Scene!

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The epic movie “The Lord of the Rings” significantly reshaped Hollywood’s terrain, one such transformation being its adoption of motion capture technology, notably for the character Gollum/Smeagol. Although this film technique is widely used today (as seen in “Cocaine Bear” where the bear was portrayed by an actor), it wasn’t as prevalent back then. Andy Serkis, the actor who brought the tormented creature from the “LOTR” films to life, underwent extensive preparation and training for the series, initially facing ridicule from director Peter Jackson during this process.

Prior to Andy Serkis starting work on his projects slated for 2025, which includes an animated version of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”, he got together with some former colleagues from “Lord of the Rings”. At the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo’s “Lord of the Rings” reunion panel (as reported by Collider), Serkis reminisced about his first day on set as Gollum. While this isn’t the first time he’s shared stories about being teased for motion capture acting, the fact that he joined later than the rest of the crew might have influenced people’s initial reactions. As he readied himself for his first shot on the set of “Return of the King”, people began to stare at him, and eventually, even Peter Jackson chuckled at his preparations.

On my debut day, I joined the film set where everything was already in progress, and my initial scene was filmed as the 765th shot in movie number 3. As I wiggled onto the set, I transformed into Gollum, clad in a slim Lycra suit, before fully embodying the character. This amused Peter Jackson, who was directing, and left the crew puzzled, questioning my identity and purpose on set. On that first day, it seemed nobody quite understood why I was there.

It’s worth mentioning that a few points need to be revisited, but first let’s address the fact that other artists might not have fully grasped the level of dedication required in the late ’90s and early ’00s, an era when advanced Hollywood technology was not widely used. Andy Serkis joined the scene later than most, which may have contributed to this oversight.

Conversely, if the cast and team were acquainted with author J.R.R. Tolkien, they’d anticipate this mischievous creature would make an appearance on set somehow (thankfully Gollum wasn’t solely a computer-generated overlay). What left me astounded, though, was that Jackson laughed at Andy Serkis. Was it his performance that was so impressive or the sight of someone acting in such a manner for the first time that was so jarring?

In essence, the impact and influence of the Hobbit’s legacy on Hollywood is undeniable, opening doors for the kind of movies and characters we now see today. It’s plausible that blockbusters like James Cameron’s Avatar series wouldn’t have gained such popularity or Zoe Saldana might not have been a prominent figure in motion capture films if Andy Serkis hadn’t excelled in his role in LOTR. With that in mind, the recent approval of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum underscores this legacy and recognizes Serkis’ talent.

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In collaboration with the actor who played Smeagol/Gollum, Jackson is teaming up for a new LOTR prequel scheduled for 2027. After experiencing production delays, it’s uncertain if other previous LOTR actors will reprise their roles at this point. The reason behind the Gollum spinoff film, as stated by the duo, is that there are still many aspects of the monster’s duality left uncovered, as suggested in Tolkien’s appendices from The Fellowship of the Ring. It remains to be seen which cast members will join Serkis for this LOTR prequel focusing on Gollum. Some former cast members have expressed their opinions (Mortensen is undecided, Bloom seems open to participate, and McKellen has reservations about being cast due to age).

One point stands undeniable: The impact of Serkis’s and Gollum’s motion capture performances has moved beyond jest for even Peter Jackson. Experience the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy with a Max subscription.

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2025-04-16 16:07