Authoritarianism

Andy Serkis on Animal Farm, Authoritarianism, and Humanizing Monsters

"If Orwell were writing that story now, what would his targets be?" the Animal Farm director asks Reason's Nick Gillespie.

Nick Gillespie | From the August/September 2026 issue

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Andy Serkis: What Orwell Understood About Tyranny

Andy Serkis has played some of contemporary film's most memorable characters: Gollum in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, Kong in King Kong, Caesar in the Planet of the Apes reboot, proto-punk icon Ian Dury in the biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, and arms dealer Ulysses Klaue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Serkis has also moved behind the camera: He directed an animated adaptation of George Orwell's Animal Farm, which was released in theaters on May 1. Later that month, Serkis spoke with Reason's Nick Gillespie about his new film, authoritarianism, and what unites his signature roles.

Q: Let's talk about Animal Farm. What drew you to the........

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