Serkis Defends All-White 'Hunt for Gollum' Cast to BBC
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- Andy Serkis told the BBC his new film, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,' will 'somewhat acknowledge' the franchise's lack of diversity but won't pursue 'politically correct just-casting-for-the-sake-of-casting,' saying diverse casting will happen 'where relevant.'
- The announced cast so far is entirely white: Jamie Dornan, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Winslet, Lee Pace, Leo Woodall, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Serkis himself in the title role, with additional members yet to be announced.
- Serkis tied the casting to Tolkien's Norse mythology influences, saying 'The Shire feels very, very much like a very white' place whose inhabitants 'know they don't want people coming in.'
- Amazon's Prime Video series 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' previously faced racist backlash over its diverse casting, prompting original film cast members Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan to post photos on social media wearing shirts depicting Middle-earth ears in various skin tones.
- The 'Rings of Power' cast released a joint statement declaring 'Middle-earth is not all white' and condemning 'the relentless racism, threats, harassment, and abuse' directed at their castmates of color.
- 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum' is currently in production and slated for a Dec. 17, 2027 theatrical release.
Why it matters: With the film nearly two years from release and additional cast members still unannounced, Serkis is setting up a defensive posture before a casting announcement that will almost certainly draw renewed scrutiny given the racist backlash 'Rings of Power' already triggered. The 'where relevant' qualifier leaves the door open for diverse casting in non-Shire settings — but also gives critics a roadmap to the exact roles that get diversified and the ones that don't.
