Serkis is go-to guy for performance-capture roles (AP)

SAN DIEGO – When the filmmakers behind "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" settled on virtual simians rather than people in monkey suits for their lower primates, their first casting task became obvious: get Andy.

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British actor Andy Serkis has emerged as a master of the art of creating characters in the digital realm of performance capture. He's been the emotional backbone of the great ape in "King Kong" and Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings," creatures that are completed by visual-effects artists layering computer animation over his raw performance.

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Serkis, a 20-year veteran of stage and live-action screen roles, has become best-known for his performance-capture characters, which now include a super-intelligent chimpanzee in the "Apes" prequel, opening Friday, along with a key part in this December's "The Adventures of Tintin," from Steven Spielberg and "Kong" and "Lord of the Rings" creator Peter Jackson.

Serkis is go-to guy for performance-capture roles (AP)