At Collectormania 4 TheOneRing.net got a chance to talk to British actor Andy Serkis (Gollum) for a few minutes, here’s what I could make out from the tape!
In the panel you were talking about the one scene that you found the most difficult to film but you wouldn’t tell us which one because that would spoil it for some fans. We are curious though so please tell us now.
AS: Well I don’t know if I can because you know.. on TheOneRing.net.. Okay, okay.. it was basically the Crack of Doom, the final fight with Frodo and there’s a really tricky motion capture scene of falling into the Crack of Doom. And death scenes are virtually impossible to play, it’s really hard to imagine your own death you know. So yeah that was the most difficult to play.
And was it also the one you are most proud of?
AS: Emmm… not necessarily no. To date, that people know of, the scene that I am most proud of is in TTT, it’s the schizophrenic scene. There’s a lot of scenes in ROTK that I am not going to give away that I’m very proud of. Including the transformation of Smeagol..
So that’s going to be in the third movie then?
AS: Well as far as I know at this point of time yeah.. But again you know..
You are not allowed to tell us?
AS: I can’t really. The point is out this moment in time the film is still in a state of flux and anything could be in and anything could be out.
You also said you finished your last scene Saturday, I imagine that was just dialogue?
AS: Yeah. But in fact two weeks ago I shot my final scene with Peter. That was in London, and he shot a kind of crucial moment in a scene on the carpet of his house over here near the studios… And that immediately got cut into the movie.
How long have you been down in NZ for this project? For the entire length or did they let you go home every now and then?
AS: I was there obviously for principal photography and then a lot over the last two years doing post-production, motion capture. In the post production period for FOTR I wasn’t so much involved, and when they started on TTT I got involved again.
So what was your most memorable moment from the production?
AS: I think actually it was when we first started working on motion capture for TTT and we really started to define Gollum. That was really an interesting time. And their were times when Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh and myself were in the motion capture studio and for the first time really examined the psychology of Gollum in a very thorough way. And the writing of him evolved and it all kind of came together and it was just a time when there was a real creative energy flowing around. That was just a really good time.. it was in February 2002 I guess.
Would you consider taking another part that required you to be all CGI, like Gollum?
AS: Yes. People have said to me ‘will you be glad to get back to normal acting?’, and the fact is, you know, if a script is good it doesn’t matter what sort of acting it requires.. As far as I’m concerned Gollum is as real as any other character I’ve ever played. Of course there was technology involved but in terms of acting it’s no different to anything else. But yes I would definitely consider it because it’s a new direction and obviously I was part of a kind of pioneering process for a CG-character so yeah I’d be very interested in developing that kind of thing further.
You are directing a play now (Double Bass), are there any other projects you have got coming up?
AS: Yeah.. I’m about to start.. well, I’m more then likely going to be starting on The Merchant of Venice, with Al Pacino. And also there’s a feature film animation of the Magic Roundabout, it was quite a famous television series in the seventies and it’s going to be made into a feature animation and the people doing the voices will be Robbie Williams and Kylie (Minogue) and ehh Jim Broadbent, Joanna Lumley. It’s a lovely cast really.. Richard O’Brien and myself.
And you also did the 13 Going on 30-film?
AS: Yes, I did that. It’s done now. I think it’s coming out in February or March..
It’s with Jennifer Garner right?
AS: Yeah..
I’m a jealous man.
AS: Heheheh.. well she’s great, fantastic. She’s a really lovely person and it was a really fun film to work on.
Is there anyone else you would like to work with? A director or an actor?
AS: Director yeah! I was talking tonight about my favourite films and ehh.. P.T. Anderson, the director of Boogie Nights, Punch Drunk Love and Magnolia.. I love his films and I’d really love to work with him. The Coen brothers.. There are loads and loads of good directors out there.
Are you going to do more directing in the future?
AS: Yeah. As well as acting I want to do both. I have feature film script I want to develop. I’ve shot some short films. The fact is if a project really makes me feel excited about being involved in it then it really doesn’t matter in what context I’m getting involved in it; whether its acting or directing or whatever. I mean acting I’ve done much longer professionally and it’s part of me.. it’s in my blood. I love playing eccentric characters.
Okay thank you very much!
