'I'm very grateful'
Though acting is in his blood, nothing was handed to him on a plate, says Louis Ashbourne Serkis
Buffalo Pictures for ITV and ITVX
- Caroline Frost
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In Out There, you play farmer’s son Johnny, a teenager who’s grown up on a farm. How different is it to your own childhood?
I grew up in north London, and I’ve lived in the city my whole life. My family has a little place in the countryside, but we’ve never lived there full-time. I don’t even have any friends from rural communities. I think Martin Clunes is probably my first farmer friend!
As the son of Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne, you come from a successful acting family. You weren’t born when your father appeared as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but you’d arrived by the time of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. What is your earliest memory of spending time on film and TV production sets?
I think there are some pictures of me in a cradle on a film set. And when my dad was filming The Hobbit, we spent a lot of time in New Zealand. My two siblings Ruby and Sonny are a bit older than me, and they even went to school there.
Louis Ashbourne Serkis with his parents, Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne. Alamy
Did your parents encourage or discourage you from entering the same profession?
They didn’t really do either, they just wanted me to do whatever I wanted. As a youngster, I loved the idea of telling stories, being able to communicate an idea and have an impact. I always wanted to entertain people and make them laugh. Then I got my first role aged seven [as a “cute young Hobbit” in Peter Jackson’s trilogy] and loved it, so I started wondering if I’d be able to do it for the rest of my life.
Your siblings are actors too — do you all give each other advice?
Fortunately, we’re not competitive as siblings, we’re more supportive of each other. I wouldn’t say my parents give me professional advice, but they sometimes offer input on a particular scene. The best bit of advice I ever received came from Stephen Graham, who’s a wonderful actor. He told me about the “seven Ps”: “Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance.” I’ve always remembered that. And I’d say I’ve learnt the most by actually working and just being alongside people like Martin.
Are there pros and cons to your famous name and connections?
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I don’t really look at it like that. I could come from a family of doctors or engineers. We’re all essentially doing a job – branches on the same tree. I’m very lucky to be able to do what I do, and I’m very grateful. There’s this misconception it’s handed to you on a plate, but nothing is given to you.
Authors
Caroline Frost
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