Abu Dhabi: Andy Serkis relives the ‘Gollum’ era at MEFCC 2023 – News

The British star talks about his fondest memory of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ character and how the film has fared in the post-COVID world

British actor, director and producer Andy Serkis, known for his pioneering work in motion capture technology, will be at Middle East Film & Comic Con 2023, currently in Abu Dhabi.

The 58-year-old star has appeared in several films and TV shows, and Lord of the Rings, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and more.

Andy is a regular at film and comic conventions. As someone who has ever played one of the best creature roles on film, his presence at such events was inevitable. But what drew him to such a party?

“I love how enthusiastic the fans are about it,” he said city ​​times Quick meet at MEFCC 2023. “They’re as important as the filmmakers. It’s like one big family; these are the people who have loved and dedicated themselves to a particular franchise for 20 years, and you finally get to meet them. It’s a two-way process; you film Movie or TV show, and you’ll meet its target audience.

Andy, who was in attendance the day after the event, said he loved it. “It’s a really nice vibe,” he said. “People are so excited and excited, it feels really good.”

While Andy started working in film and television in the late 90s, his work was lord of the rings (2001-2003) trilogy brought him international recognition. He plays Gollum, a creature character brought to life using motion capture technology, and Andy has been praised for his realism and emotional depth.

More than two decades later, Andy recalls their first real use of motion capture, albeit in its early stages. That’s something Andy still holds dear about the character. “Seeing Gollum come back to life for the first time,” he said. “As I moved, I could see him on the TV screen and I could see Gollum reflecting all my movements. It was a real moment, and I realized the power of this emerging technology and the impact, allowing me and many other actors to do what we do.”

Andy tells us another example that might actually exceed the one above: he has the two towers, director Peter Jackson gave him on his birthday in 2003. So after all, Andy, we mean Gollum, has his “baby”.

At work, Andy is busy “promoting” his latest project Luther: Fallen Suna dark web thriller starring Idris Elba.

exist luther, Andy said earlier that he played one of his darkest roles. “He’s a networking wizard,” he describes his personality. “But the monster in the movie is actually the internet, surveillance, hacking, and being able to get into people’s homes through their technology. He uses that to manipulate and humiliate people. I really didn’t want to play that character; I played some Dark characters, but I think it’s on the fringe.”

Luther: Fallen Sun The film opens in the UK on February 24 and is set to hit Netflix on March 10.

When it comes to movie theaters, we’re finally out of the grip of the pandemic. Movie theaters have reopened to near capacity, and many titles have been cinematic successes in terms of response and collection. Andy points out that things aren’t “in place” yet.

“Avatar (Way of Water) had a huge impact,” he said.”Venom: Carnage is one of the first films to hit the right time after the pandemic starts to fade. So I think people are still getting used to the idea of ​​going out. I hope this will increase, because having a shared experience in a movie theater is a great thing. Of course, streaming platforms are also doing a good job. The entertainment industry has really worked well during Covid, being able to produce content for everyone. So I do think it’s in a healthy state, but I just want to see more people go back to movie theaters. “

Andy is also currently directing animal farman animated adaptation of George Orwell’s classic novel of the same name.