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Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis is an award-winning actor who has earned acclaim from both critics and audiences for his work in a range of memorable roles. He gained legions of fans around the globe for his performance as Gollum in the Academy Award -winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. Serkis won an Empire Award for his role, in addition to sharing in several Outstanding Ensemble Cast Awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award . Reuniting with Jackson, he played two roles in the director's epic retelling of King Kong, taking performance capture to another level as the title character of Kong, and also appearing as Lumpy, the ship's cook.

Most recently, Serkis starred in Rise of the Apes, a prequel to the iconic film Planet of the Apes. Set in present-day San Francisco, Apes deals with the aftermath of man's experiments with genetic engineering that lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy. His performance as Caesar, received critical acclaim from both journalists and audiences around the world. Serkis also has co-starring roles in Death of a Superhero and Brieghton Rock, both of which will be in theaters this fall.

Last year, Serkis received critical acclaim and accolades for his portrayal of punk-rock legend Ian Dury in the film Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll for director Mat Whitecross. The role earned Serkis a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor. He also played 19th century grave robber William Hare, opposite Simon Pegg's William Burke, in John Landis' recent black comedy Burke & Hare.

On the small screen, Serkis appeared in the BBC miniseries Little Dorrit, based on Charles Dickens' classic tale, which garnered him a 2009 Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred in as Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein in the BBC/HBO production of Einstein and Eddington.

Serkis previously earned Golden Globe and BAFTA TV Award nominations for his performance as Ian Brady in HBO's Longford. He also garnered acclaim for the role of Bill Sikes in the PBS presentation of Oliver Twist. British television audiences also know him for a wide range of roles in telefilms, miniseries and series.

Serkis's recent feature film credits include Christopher Nolan's acclaimed drama The Prestige; the comedy 13 Going on 30, with Jennifer Garner; and the indie films The Cottage, Extraordinary Rendition and Sugarhouse. He also lent his voice to the animated feature Flushed Away. He earlier co-starred in Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People and Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy. Serkis includes among his additional film credits such independent releases as Deathwatch, The Escapist, Shiner, Pandaemonium, The Jolly Boys' Last Stand, Five Seconds to Spare, Sweety Barrett, Among Giants, Mojo, Career Girls, Loop, Stella Does Tricks and The Near Room.

An accomplished stage actor, Serkis has received acclaim for his work on the stages of London and across the United Kingdom. He starred as Iago in Othello, at the Royal Exchange Theatre; played the Emcee in Cabaret; and originated the role of Potts in Jez Butterworth's Mojo, at the Royal Court Theatre. His stage work also includes productions of King Lear, Hush, and Decadence. In 2003, he made his directorial debut with the play The Double Bass at London's Southwark Playhouse.

As a director, Serkis also helmed the award-winning Heavenly Sword for PLAYSTATION 3 and the upcoming Enslaved: Odyssey to the West for Namco Bandai Games. In addition, he wrote and directed a short film called Snake, starring his wife, Lorraine Ashbourne and Rupert Graves.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2012.
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Andy Serkis Facts

OccupationActor
BirthdayApril 20, 1964 (59)
SignTaurus
BirthplaceRuslip Manor, England, United Kingdom
Height5' 8½" (1m74)  How tall is Andy Serkis compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Not available.