Andy Serkis has defended the all-white cast of his upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, stating that the production will not engage in what he described as 'politically correct casting-for-the-sake-of-casting'. The actor, who reprises his iconic role as Gollum and also directs the movie, addressed criticism over the lack of diversity in the film's announced lineup.
Serkis cites Tolkien's Norse mythology influence
In an interview with BBC News, Serkis explained the casting choices by referencing the source material. 'Tolkien himself was influenced a lot by Norse mythology, there's a lot of that feeling,' he said. 'The Shire feels very, very much like a very, very white, you know... They're not very concerned about what goes on beyond the borders of The Shire, but they know they don't want people coming in.'
The film, which is set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, is currently filming in New Zealand. The main cast announced so far includes Kate Winslet, Leo Woodall, Jamie Dornan (replacing Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn), Anya Taylor-Joy, and returning stars Elijah Wood as Frodo and Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf. All actors announced are white.
Acknowledging criticism but resisting 'tick-box' casting
Serkis acknowledged that 'there have been criticisms' regarding the lack of diversity, but he maintained that the film would not adopt a 'politically correct just-casting-for-the-sake-of-casting-and-ticking-boxes version'. He added, 'So, it's only where relevant basically.' The original Lord of the Rings films, released between 2001 and 2003, also featured predominantly white casts, though colour-blind casting was less common at the time.
More casting announcements are expected for the film, which is scheduled for a December 2027 release. A second new Lord of the Rings film, Shadow of the Past, written by former US chat show host Stephen Colbert, is also in development.
Contrast with diverse casting in The Rings of Power
The casting choices stand in contrast to Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which featured a diverse cast including Sir Lenny Henry, Sara Zwangobani, and Ismael Cruz Córdova, who became the first person of colour to portray an elf in the franchise. That series faced 'relentless racism' directed at its Black actors, prompting a statement from the production condemning the abuse.
Serkis, who previously appeared in Black Panther alongside Martin Freeman, has spoken about the experience of being one of the few white actors on that set, gaining insight into what it feels like to be a minority on a film set.
Plot details and AI de-aging
Serkis has described the new film as 'very much a deep dive into the psychology and history of Gollum before he became Gollum'. The story is drawn from the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, with producer Peter Jackson confirming that it includes Gollum's childhood, his attempt to reach the Shire, and his capture by Rangers who take him to Mordor.
Serkis has confirmed that AI will be used to de-age some characters. Kate Winslet plays Marigol, Anya Taylor-Joy is cast as an elf, and Leo Woodall plays new character Halvard, who was not in Tolkien's original books. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is set for release in cinemas on December 17, 2027.
