Gollum's got his eye on a new precious
 

Tuesday, December 31, 2002 – Print Edition, Page R2


Los Angeles -- If an actor can alter his face with makeup and still get nominated for awards, why can't someone who alters his appearance with digital pixels?

That's the argument of Andy Serkis, who's winning praise for his work in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as the embittered creature Gollum.

Unlike other digitally rendered creatures like Yoda in Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones or Dobby the house elf in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Gollum was far more involving physically for the actor behind the voice.

New Line Cinema is pushing his performance for acting-award consideration, saying every sick smile of Gollum's, every scampering movement, was created by the actor and then recreated digitally.

"It's like applying makeup after the fact, only the overlay isn't with latex before the performance. It's after the performance with computers," Serkis told The Associated Press recently.

He drew parallels between his role and Nicole Kidman's recent Golden Globe-nominated work beneath prosthetic makeup in The Hours, and John Hurt's Oscar-nominated turn in a disfiguring mask for 1980's The Elephant Man.

Serkis, who's also appeared in the films 24 Hour Party People and Topsy-Turvy, physically acted each scene in The Two Towers alongside his Hobbit co-stars, recreating each motion and facial gesture while wearing a body suit that monitored his muscle movements.

"I think however this is received, it has to be judged as a performance. The physicality was driven by an actor," said Serkis, adding that his real face will be seen in a flashback next year in the final film of the trilogy, The Return of the King.



What do you people think...should it be so?

*edited by me.

I wrote a long argument, and decided not to post it.

In one phrase: HELL NAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

good question

sure why not, if it makes him happy. its not going to change my life because he gets an award.

Neither would it mine, but if he got this award, then there would be a lot of different positions out there that would ALSO like to get recognized for an award. Pretty soon theres going to be awards for best "extra" in a movie.

he wasn't in the movie..so no...yes he did help with the movements and voices and such...but he was NOT in the movie...

Gollum was sweet; I think yes

He was in the movie. HE acted out all the movements with a suit on! Then digitally edited it later on!

i know what he did...but he wasn't in the final picture...

I didn't mean that he was ..
nm.

I just think its stupid.

Gollum is sweeet! Give him all of the awards!;)

What do you mean? It's basically the same thign as him wearing a costum? What's the difference? None. He was just wearing a digital one that's it. It was HIM acting and HIM saying and HIM getting into water that was at freezing level.

I wouldn't give an award to barney.

Barney isn't a movie and Barney never really acted well.
Don't compare rotten apples to fresh ones!