Get ready because Andy Serkis is about to take you on an epic journey.
Announced on BBC Radio today with Nihal Arthanayake, Serkis stated he’s an outside person and knew others were probably feeling the same frustrations to stay inside due to the pandemic.
Andy Serkis, award-winning actor, has won critical acclaim with his stop motion work in films like Lord of the Rings, King Kong, & Venom.
So he wanted to help others by taking them “on an imaginary adventure, a fantasy wander through Middle Earth, but doing the entire thing so it feels like a little bit like a marathon.”
That’s right, for twelve hours starting at 10a BST (6a CST-US) on Friday May 8th, award-winning actor, Andy Serkis will read The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, straight through, live. He’s willing to accept the unpredictability of that marathon reading as well. “Whatever happens, happens. If the cat comes in while I’m reading and pees on the computer, then that will be part of it.”
This performance is to raise money for NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings and fans can donate to a GoFundMe page where a live stream of the event will play.
Proceeds will be evenly split between the two charities.
Serkis, who originated the tragic character of Smeagol (Gollum) in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit films, knows there are so many out there, struggling right now. “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 whilst raising money for two amazing charities which are doing extraordinary work right now to help those most in need.”
Specifics of organizing bathroom trips and the like will be addressed and are still in the organizational stages. Serkis states, “We’re still figuring all this out. You know, what we might do between chapter breaks is, Hobbits are quite fond of breakfast and second breakfast, and all sorts of other meals, so I kind of might be able to fashion it so it becomes a part of the appropriate place and would encourage other people who are watching to do the same.”
Click here to find out what time the event starts where you are.
