Andy Serkis Says There's No Definitive Version Of Lord Of The Rings

Actor Andy Serkis has offered his two cents on the recent adaptations and interpretations of The Lord of The Rings, stating that there is never one "definitive" version of a beloved work of fiction.

Serkis won the Empire Award for Best British Actor, Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for his performance portraying Gollum in the series of films. Gollum as a character is, of course, extremely central to the theme of identity in the story, acting as a potential end for both Bilbo and Frodo if they let the immense power of the Ring consume the goodness in their heart.

In spite of this, the conflict between Gollum and Sméagol is a tragic one and though Serkis was not the first actor to take on the role, he's likely to be the first one you think of when you think of the complicated character.

Check out the entirety of our chat with Andy Serkis and his character in the new Warhammer 40,000 game below!

Daedalic Entertainment is developing The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, a game focusing where Gollum was before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It's clear that the Gollum from the series of films has informed the look of the character here, and so we asked Andy - being the definitive actor to portray Gollum - if he feels like his toes are being stepped on with the newest iteration. "Never, no," replied the actor.

"You become the custodian of the role for a bit... you're part of a journey and I happen to have had some very pleasant years in Middle-earth in two big trilogies with that character and so I feel incredibly fortunate and I have a huge love for it," continued Serkis. "[The Lord of the Rings] is the most brilliant piece of by J R R Tolkien and it's a story that will go on being retold and retold, and there's never a definitive version. You can't think of it like that, I don't think, of anything."

The "reinterpretation" is the key, explained the actor, and that there are plenty of possibilities for The Lord of the Rings to remain relevant in a century's time. This is very true of The Rings of Power TV show which recently released a bunch of photos of characters like Galadriel and Elrond in their youth as well as fresh faces like Arondir, Halbrand, and Disa.