Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis (born April 20, 1964, in Ruislip, Middlesex, England) is an English screen artist celebrated for reshaping modern performance through motion-capture acting, voice work, and filmmaking. Widely regarded as one of cinema’s key innovators in digital character work, he helped turn performance capture into an art form audiences could feel.

Serkis became globally synonymous with Gollum / Sméagol in The Lord of the Rings trilogy—The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King—delivering a layered, physical performance that set a new standard for CGI characters. He later brought similar intensity to roles such as Kong in King Kong, while also appearing in live-action projects including The Prestige, Inkheart, 13 Going on 30, and Luther: The Fallen Sun.

Beyond acting, Serkis has built a strong reputation behind the camera, directing features and developing performance-capture craft through his London-based studio, The Imaginarium. His work has earned major industry recognition, including multiple awards and nominations across film and television, cementing his status as a defining figure in contemporary screen performance.