“The Legend of Vox Machina” has returned and kicked off the fourth season with a bang. The threat of the Whispered One is upon the titular heroes who once again need to come together to protect the realm. “The Legend of Vox Machina” and “The Mighty Nein” have managed to rack up an impressive roster of guest stars.
This includes David Tenant, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Lance Reddick, Henry Winkler, Lucy Liu, Ming-Na Wen, Mark Strong, and countless more. Season four of “The Legend of Vox Machina” continues to add to these ranks, perhaps most notably with Andy Serkis. Serkis has had countless career-defining roles but is perhaps most well known in the fantasy space as Gollum from “Lord of the Rings.”
In an exclusive interview with Temple of Geek, Liam O’Brien shares his excitement as a massive “Lord of the Rings” fan to have Serkis in the show. O’Brien is careful to keep Serkis’s character under wraps. But he praises Serkis’s acting and voice acting, teasing what he brings to his role.
“[Andy Serkis] Brings So Much Strength, Depth, And Beguiling Character To The Role”
Temple of Geek: Liam, how does it feel to have Andy Serkis as a part of the cast, and what does he bring into the character that he plays?
Liam O’Brien:
Oh my gosh, well, obviously all of us, except for Sam, are massive “Lord of the Rings” fans. I’m just kidding. He is a latecomer to the majesty of Tolkien. “The Hobbit” is central to my everything, you know. I grew up with the old Rankin and Bass “Hobbit.” We’ve all seen those movies countless times. They put it on; it’s comfort food.
Serkis’s performance as Gollum is absolute genius. Love it, of course. And if we’re talking about Andy’s turn in this series, the part he’s playing, that guy has to be really, really convincing. And Serkis’s voice, his acting chops, and his voice is really impossible to say no to. He brings so much strength, depth, and beguiling character to the role that I can’t imagine anyone else ever touching it now, other than Mr. Mercer.
Matthew Mercer has originated some truly iconic characters from epic heroes to terrifying villains across ten years of Exandria. Both animated series have captured these characters with an endlessly impressive cast of guest stars. Serkis is a perfect addition to this rank, especially in the final two seasons centered around one of the scariest villains yet.
The Legend of Vox Machina Adds Another Lord of the Rings Actor To Their Roster
While Serkis’s role is still a surprise, it feels safe to assume it is one of the bigger characters of the season. O’Brien’s description of “beguiling character” points to a mesmerizing performance. Adding another Tolkien actor to the ranks, it will be exciting to see if Serkis will join Vox Machina as a fellow hero or stand against them as an antagonist.
While Serkis may be most well-known for Gollum in “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” he has also shown off his heroic acting chops in genre cinema. From Caesar in the recent “Planet of the Apes” trilogy to Kino Loy in “Andor.” He has proven himself a generational talent in any role he embodies. Serkis will undoubtedly bring an entrancing performance full of gravitas and nuance when his character is revealed in “The Legend of Vox Machina.”
The first three episodes of “The Legend of Vox Machina” fourth season are available on Prime Video now. New episodes premiere every Wednesday. The first three seasons are available to watch on Prime Video now.
