Andy Serkis has dedicated a good part of his career promoting the advancement of motion capture in films. Playing roles like Caesar in the modern Planet of the Apes trilogy or Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Serkis always brought forward emotionally charged performances even if they were contained under layers of animation and computer-work. It’s all very impressive given just how well the actor was able to portray those emotions, and it stuck extremely well because he is one of the most revolutionary actors of our time. Andy Serkis Birthday Special: 5 BTS Videos of the Actor That Showcase His Amazing Talents With Motion Capture.

While Serkis is great in the realm of motion-capture and that discourse has been talked to its absolute limit, we can’t look past his live-action roles as well. If anything, Andy Serkis is equally good as well when not in a mocap suit. Just take a look at his turn in Andor and you’ll realise the amount of range this actor actually has. So, to celebrate Andy Serkis’ 59th birthday, here are five of his non-motion capture roles.

Alfred (The Batman)

Many actors have gotten forward their own take on Bruce Wayne’s faithful Butler Alfred, and Serkis just fit right in with them as a great rendition of this iconic character. While Serkis isn’t in the film for that long, he gets many of the film’s emotional moments. Not to mention, the dynamic between his Alfred and Robert Pattinson’s Bruce is established so well, even with limited time devoted to them.

Klaue (Black Panther)

Briefly appearing in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Serkis returned as Klaue in Black Panther and quickly became a fan-favourite. An arms dealer specialising in Vibranium, Serkis is clearly having fun in the role here. A maniacal man in every sense of the word, Klaue is certainly entertaining. Shame he had to die so soon.

Mr Alley (The Prestige)

Serkis would also wow us when the actor would appear in Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending film The Prestige. Playing Mr Alley, the assistant of Nikola Tesla, Serkis is a treat in the role. A conman who has undertones that will certainly not sit right with you, Serkis shines here. Not to mention, he was starring alongside David Bowie, so that just made it all the more exciting.

Ian Dury (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll)

Playing the role of the real-life English musician Ian Dury, Serkis showcases the icon’s rise to fame. A role which further proved Serkis’ talents when out of the mocap suit, he was every bit as compelling as you would expect him to be. Definitely one of the best performances by him.

Kino Loy (Andor)

One of Serkis’ most recent roles is also his best work to-date. Playing the role of prisoner Kino Loy in Andor, Serkis gets a great three-episode arc dedicated to him where the actor easily becomes one of the best parts of the series. A man dedicated to earning his freedom with nothing to lose, Serkis will floor you over here. Andy Serkis Birthday Special: From Gollum to King Kong, 5 Best Characters Played by the Hollywood Star That Are Geek-Favourites (LatestLY Exclusive).

It’s honestly a shame that Andy Serkis hasn’t won an Oscar yet, or even been nominate for one. He deserves every bit of praise he gets, and here is hoping he continues to have a great career.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2023 10:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).