Serkis wore a special suit that captured his performance and re-created it in the computer-generated character of Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. (New Line Cinema)
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Serkis, right, played Joy Division's producer Martin Hannett in director Michael Winterbottom's comedy "24 Hour Party People." Paddy Considine, left, played Rob Gretton. (United Artists)
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Serkis signs "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" posters at a New York Toys R Us store in 2003. (Scout Tufankjian / Associated Press)
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Serkis and his wife, Lorraine Ashbourne, used their high profile at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003 to protest the war in Iraq. "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" was nominated for best picture that year. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Andy Serkis is photographed at the Regency Hotel in New York in 2004. (Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)
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Serkis, left, had a supporting role in the Jennifer Garner be-careful-what-you-wish-for romantic comedy "13 Going on 30." (Tracy Bennett / Columbia Pictures)
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Andy Serkis portrayed the salty sailor Lumpy the Cook as well as the gigantic gorilla in Peter Jackson's 2005 film "King Kong." (Pierre Vinet / Universal Studios)
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Andy Serkis is photographed at the Studio City bookstore Storyopolis in 2005. (Los Angeles Times)
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Serkis played Alley, the assistant to David Bowie's Nikola Tesla, in "The Prestige," Christopher Nolan's 2006 film about feuding magicians. (Francois Duhamel / Warner Bros.)
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Serkis portrayed storybook villain Capricorn in the 2008 children's fantasy film "Inkheart." (Warner Bros.)
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Andy Serkis is photographed at the Warner Bros. offices in New York in 2009. (Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times)
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Serkis, right, played punk icon Ian Dury in the 2010 film "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll." The performance earned him a BAFTA nomination. (Dean Rogers / Tribeca Film)
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Actor Andy Serkis, photographed in July 2011 before the release of "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Andy Serkis' young chimp character Caesar embraces with an ailing Charles, played by John Lithgow, in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." (WETA Digital / Sony Pictures)
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Andy Serkis uses motion-capture gear to play Caesar in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." (20th Century Fox)
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Andy Serkis played the rum-glugging seaman Capt. Haddock in Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin." (WETA Digital / Paramount Pictures)
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Serkis is reprising his role as Gollum in Peter Jackson's upcoming "The Lord of the Rings" prequel films, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again." (MGM / New Line Cinema)
LinkIn the cutting-edge and ever-expanding world of performance-capture roles on film, Andy Serkis remains the man to go to. He’s almost single-handedly turned an aspect of acting once thought to be fit only for stuntmen and tech geeks into a respected and (dare we say it) Oscar-worthy avenue of performance.
Last year, Serkis saved a mostly humdrum summer with his showstopping performance as Caesar, the Spartacus-like simian of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” and he can currently be seen in director Steven Spielberg’s performance-capture feature “The Adventures of Tintin” as the seafaring Capt. Haddock. In December, Serkis will step back into his decade-old digital costume as Gollum in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”
Join us on Friday, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m. Pacific for a live chat with Serkis as he discusses his most famous film roles on camera with Hero Complex writer Noelene Clark and answers reader questions.
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Our legion of super contributors is led by Hero Complex editor Gina McIntyre and 
I have to say i loved Andy Serkis in the Rise of the planet of the Apes. I also enjoyed him in the
Lord of the rings. I didn't actualy know who Andy Serkis was until i wanted to know who played
Ceasar. I was quite surprise & had a bit of a laugh. But I will be personaly watching out for the name
Andy Serkis in the future. Awsome.
New Zealand.
D.L.Y
What can I say that I haven't shared on Andy's offcial facebook group?!! He is a total revelation! A beautiful person whose humanity, humility, depth, empathy and grace are simply rare to find and so refreshing! Not to mention his energy, humour, zest for life and passion for his work which coupled with his great talent and genius make him not just one of the rarest phenomenae to grace this planet but simply UNIQUE!!! ANDY YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND…THERE'S NO ONE LIKE YOU and I hope and pray every day that your uniqueness, your serious, hard work and dedication will be rewarded! I love you! Thank you for all you are giving us!
That was fantastic!!!