Andy Serkis has a precious gig on the way. The British actor, who played Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” franchise, will do a continuous live-reading of J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel “The Hobbit” for charity. Serkis — known for his voices, expressions and nimble body contortions — will read the whole book from beginning …
Andy Serkis has a precious gig on the way.
The British actor, who played Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” franchise, will do a continuous live-reading of J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel “The Hobbit” for charity.
Serkis — known for his voices, expressions and nimble body contortions — will read the whole book from beginning to end in one sitting. It’s expected to take 10 to 12 hours.
“So many of us are struggling in isolation during the lockdown,” Serkis, 56, says in the announcement video as the worldwide coronavirus pandemic continues. “While times are tough, I want to take you on one of the greatest fantasy adventures ever written, a 12-hour armchair marathon across Middle-earth, while raising money for two amazing charities which are doing extraordinary work right now to help those most in need.”
The money raised will be split between UK charities Best Beginnings and NHS Charities Together.
“Lord of the Rings” will see a reprisal on Amazon in the form of a prequel series, but so far there has been no announcement that Serkis will be involved. His next project is stepping behind the camera to direct the sequel to the hit Tom Hardy vehicle “Venom,” which will be called “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” and is expected to premiere in 2021. He’ll also step into the role of iconic Batman butler Alfred Pennyworth in the forthcoming “The Batman” movie starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne.
The “Hobbit” livestream will start at 6 a.m. EDT (10 a.m. GMT) on Friday, with a link posted on a GoFundMe page that will also be posted Friday.
