Andy Serkis has hit out at the longstanding criticism from some quarters regarding the casting in the Lord of the Rings film franchise.
Speaking while promoting his upcoming directorial project, The Hunt for Gollum, the actor pointed to JRR Tolkien’s classic literary influences as a reason for the casting choices.
The conversation surrounding casting has heightened in recent months, considering that the confirmed cast for The Hunt for Gollum currently features only white performers.
These include returning stars Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood alongside newcomers Kate Winslet, Jamie Dornan, Anya Taylor-Joy and Leo Woodall.
Andy Serkis starred in the Lord of the Rings films
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The Hunt for Gollum marks Mr Serkis’s first time in the director’s chair for a Middle-earth feature, though he previously served as second unit director on all three Hobbit films.
Production began last week in New Zealand, with Serkis simultaneously handling directing duties and reprising his motion-capture role as Sméagol.
The film is scheduled for release by Warner Bros at the end of 2027, arriving nearly 25 years after Peter Jackson concluded his original trilogy with Return of the King.
Mr Serkis revealed the story takes place between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, exploring Gollum’s psychology and history whilst Gandalf investigates the origins of Bilbo Baggins’s ring.
Andy Serkis voiced Gollum
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Addressing the casting choices, Mr Serkis told BBC News: “Tolkien himself was influenced a lot by Norse mythology, there’s a lot of that feeling.”
When discussing the hobbits’ homeland, he described it as “very, very much like a very, a very white” setting, noting that its inhabitants are “not very concerned about what goes on beyond the borders of The Shire, but they know they don’t want people coming in.”
Mr Serkis acknowledged that previous films in the franchise have faced criticism over their lack of representation, stating that “this particular film is somewhat acknowledging that.”
However, he made clear that the production would not pursue diversity for its own sake.
Andy Serkis has dismissed complaints about a lack of diversity in the films
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“But we don’t think we will be doing a politically correct just-casting-for-the sake-of-casting-and-ticking-boxes version of the film,” he said.
“So, it’s only where relevant basically.”
The approach taken by Mr Serkis stands in contrast to Amazon’s Rings of Power series, which has embraced more diverse casting in its depiction of Middle-earth.
Sir Lenny Henry, who appears in the streaming prequel, addressed the decision in 2022.
Andy Serkis is behind a new LOTR series
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“That’s to do with it being the 21st century; people want to see themselves,” he told The Times.
The actor acknowledged that Tolkien’s original texts offered limited guidance, noting that while “some of the characters are described as hard-skinned and darker in complexion,” the adaptation reflects contemporary expectations.
“But that was then, this is now and we’re telling the story now,” Sir Lenny stated.