“A cat vomiting up a hairball changed the history of cinema forever”: Andy Serkis’ Audition for Gollum Had Even the Biggest Hollywood Execs Stunned Into Silence
- Andy Serkis showed that CGI characters could be relatable and compelling by portraying Gollum.
- Serkis revealed that the voice of Gollum was inspired by his cat Dizz coughing up a fur ball.
- James Franco praised Serkis as the master of performance capture acting, which has set a new standard in the industry.
Andy Serkis changed the thinking of the film industry forever by portraying Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The franchise is still considered one of the pioneers of motion capture technology, and Serkis proved that CGI characters could also be as relatable and compelling as the live ones.
Serkis brought a complete package of physical acting, voice modulations, and an understanding of how digital additions will change his character. But what many might not know is who actually inspired him for Gollum’s unique voice and mannerisms.
How Andy Serkis Got the Voice of Gollum
Gollum is one of the most complex characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings saga. He was once a hobbit-like creature, but after he encountered One Ring, he turned into the pitiful yet dangerous creature. He was an interesting character because of the conflict between his internal and Ring-corrupt selves.
But it was Andy Serkis who breathed life into the character and made him convincing on the big screen. Initially, Serkis was supposed to only give his voice to the character, but he became more committed to the part. He didn’t simply want to speak for Gollum, he wanted to become him.
In the process of searching for the best voice for Gollum, Serkis had no references to consult. He tried to tighten his voice and thought about compulsive behaviors. He even attempted to imagine from an addict’s perspective. But the idea came out of the blue from his own cat, Dizz. Serkis revealed in an interview at Awesome Con,
My cat came in and literally coughed up a fur ball in front of me. Gospel truth, this is absolutely true, I watched his back rippling, and I just thought, ‘That’s brilliant. I really like that. I love this. I love this.’
As Serkis’ hilarious story gets recognized and shared on social media, netizens share their reactions and opinions about how a cat changed the course of cinema with comments like,
“Unbelievable that a cat vomiting up a hairball changed the history of cinema forever. And that cat could never understand.”
“Dizz the voice coach cat“
“Always thought my cat sounded like Gollum when he’s retching, but I see it’s the other way around now.”
“Its strange they tell you in school copying is very bad thing to do, yet he copies his cat and gets famous for it.”
“For a while I thought all he did was voice acting and mocap even before LoR, but that role evolved his career. Terrific actor”
And just like that, the iconic “Gollum” sound was created. Serkis mimicked his cat’s coughing noise, added the word “Gollum” with that, and created a voice that gets instantly recognized by millions of fans worldwide even today.
Andy Serkis Pioneered a New Art Form
Andy Serkis’ work was nothing short of groundbreaking, and along with audiences, he managed to impress his fellow actors and co-workers. One such person is James Franco who became a vocal advocate for Serkis’ contributions to the art of acting, especially motion capture acting.
Franco has worked with Serkis on Rise of the Planet of the Apes, where the latter portrayed Caesar. In an interview with Deadline, Franco called Serkis “the undisputed master of the newest kind of acting called ‘performance capture.'”
He stressed the fact that Serkis should receive credit for how performance capture had revolutionized the film industry. Talking about Gollum, he revealed how director Peter Jackson was so impressed by Serkis’ physical involvement that he decided to capture the entire performance.
Talking about how performance capture affects the film industry, Franco dismissed the idea that it will allow studios to replace traditional actors. He said,
After making Apes I realize that this is backward thinking. Performance Capture is here, like it or not, but it also doesn’t mean that old-fashioned acting will go the way of silent film actors. Performance Capture actually allows actors to work opposite each other in more traditional ways, meaning that the actors get to interact with each other and look into each other’s eyes.
Serkis’ contribution extends beyond The Lord of the Rings with projects like Planet of the Apes and King Kong that cemented his status as a true pioneer in the field, and his legacy will work as a lesson for the upcoming generation of actors.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is available to stream on Prime Video and Netflix.
