Andy Serkis Mocked Putin As Gollum On Late Show With Stephen Colbert

The “Batman” star briefly reprised his iconic “Lord of the Rings” character Gollum to mock Russian president Vladimir Putin in the midst of the nation’s war with Ukraine. “Gollum was on this side and Sméagol was on this side, and he would say things like, ‘We wants it. We needs it. We must have Kyiv!’” Serkis said during “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” March 2. “‘No Precious, they’re to impose sanctions!’ ‘Sanctions? Sanctions, my Precious? If they do anything, we’re going to give them shit back.’” Serkis voiced 132 different characters in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which spanned from 2001 to 2003. The actor also voiced Gollum in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and the franchise’s video game adaptations.

“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert joked that the “anticipation” for Serkis’ upcoming film “The Batman” is now “actually being used as a cudgel against the Russians by not playing it there.” Related How Late-Night TV Torched Trump’s NFT Announcement Stephen Colbert Cannot Contain His Glee Over Alex Jones Verdict Related Growing Number of Contenders Makes 2023 Best International Feature Race Less Predictable Oscars 2023: Best International Feature Film Predictions
In the Matt Reeves–directed movie, Serkis plays Alfred Pennyworth, beloved butler to Bruce Wayne (aka Batman, aka Robert Pattinson). Warner Bros. blocked “The Batman” from premiering in Russian theaters, along with Universal, Sony, Disney, and Paramount pulling upcoming releases. “It’s one of the sanctions being leveled against Russia that they don’t get this movie. Very powerful,” Colbert added. A spokesperson for WarnerMedia previously issued a statement February 28 in support of Ukraine. “In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film ‘The Batman’ in Russia,” the statement read. “We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy.” “The Batman” opens in the U.S. March 4.