Andy Serkis. Photo courtesy of Imaginarium Productions
Emmy Award-winning actor Andy Serkis (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “Planet of the Apes” franchise) talked about directing and starring in Angel Studios’ new film “Animal Farm.”
American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with a little passion, a little compassion, a little humor, and a little style.” This quote applies to veteran actor and director Andy Serkis.
“Animal Farm” hits theaters May 1 through Angel Studios. It is based on the novel by George Orwell.
In addition to Serkis, there is also the voice Iman Vellani and Laverne CoxSeth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Andy Serkis and Kathleen Turner.
Animal Farm Creation Experience
Of his experience making the feature film Animal Farm, Serkis said, “I really, really enjoyed it. Look, I’ve wanted to tell this story for years. My business partner, Jonathan Cavendish, and I formed a company called The Imaginarium.
“This was our first film project, and it took much, much longer than we ever thought,” he noted. “It took 15 years to make. It was the first thing on our list, and it took all that time, but it was worth it because we were so passionate about it.”
“Everyone who came on board was so passionate about telling this story, and it has become more important over the years,” he added.
Serkis for what has kept him with ‘Animal Farm’ for so long
Serkis has been working on this project for 15 years. When asked what has stuck with him, he replied: “It’s a book that wouldn’t let me go, basically. I read it when I was 11 and it was a story that really grabbed me.”
“It made me think about things for the first time in a different way and made me realize that literature and art can really change the way you think and feel about certain things,” he admitted.
Serkis continued “So I was very, very keen on the idea of doing a movie. It came about when I was working on Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”
“There was a scene where Caesar leads the apes to freedom, rebelling against breaking out of a facility where they were cruelly imprisoned. After that, I realized there hasn’t been an adaptation of George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm,'” he added.
“Originally, we were going to make it as a performance capture film, where the actors would play all the animals. Then, we realized that it had to preserve the innocence that is in the book. I mean, George Orwell writes about animals, not human beings,” he explained.
“Orwell is being allegorical and we wanted to preserve the tale or fable because he calls it a fairy tale. So we decided to make it an animation,” he noted.
“The themes are all exactly what he was writing about 80 years ago about surveillance and the destruction of truth and the corruption of absolute power,” he admitted.
“All those themes just seemed to become more and more important as the years went by and as we were making this movie. That’s why Animal Farm has kept me going,” he added.
Working with Kathleen Turner as Benjamin
Serkis had kind words for the Oscar-nominated actress Kathleen Turnerwho voices Benjamin the donkey in the film. “I had the best time working with Kathleen because I’ve always admired her so much as an actor and wanted to work with her,” Serkis said.
“So to have the opportunity to do this with Kathleen was incredible and I thank her very much for that,” he added.
Lessons learned from the scenario
Of the lessons Iesson learned from the Animal Farm script, Serkis reflected, “I learned that it’s really important not to try to make a movie that pleases everybody… You have to make a movie that you think speaks the truth of the fable or the allegory that it’s about, and let the audience in.”
“Don’t try to please all the people. Orwell was so particular in his desire to tell stories and so powerful in his desire to tell stories. There is no formula,” he said.
“Orwell would have hated it if everyone loved this movie, and he would have loved it if everyone had their own opinions about it,” Serkis noted.
“So I hope I’ve made a film that will cause debates, in particular, debates between children and their parents and grandparents, because it’s meant for everyone,” he added.
Stage of his life
Of the title of the current chapter of his life, Serkis said with a sweet laugh, “I still don’t know any better.”
The digital age
Being an actor and director in the digital age, at a time when broadcast, technology and social media are so pervasive, Serkis said, “In terms of performance capture, digital, to me, means freedom.”
“I’ve seen it be this fantastic empathy machine where anyone can play anything,” he noted.
“Digital is the most equal tool of the 21st actorsstr century. It means that anyone – no matter what size you are, what color you are, what sex you are or how you identify – can play absolutely anything, and that’s a huge acting tool,” he explained.
Other projects that Andy Serkis would like to see as a film adaptation
Serkis revealed that he would love to see CS Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters turned into a film adaptation.
“I’ve always wanted to do The Screw Tape Letters. I don’t think it’s ever been done on screen,” he said.
SUCCESSES
In his definition of success, Serkis noted, “Success, to me, is being able to really communicate with an audience with a story that you’ve told.”
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