20 Incredible Film Performances That Didn't Get The Credit They Deserved

5. Andy Serkis - Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (2011)

Andy Serkis has long been renowned as the world's premier performance capture actor ever since his groundbreaking work as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings series. The man that also played King Kong gives the best performance of his career in another simian role with a staggering turn in Rupert Wyatt's acclaimed reboot. Giving a convincing performance playing a character that isn't human while wearing a skin-tight Lycra bodysuit can't be the easiest thing in the world, but Serkis' portrayal of Caesar isn't just the best in the movie, its one of the best supporting turns in recent memory. Relying almost entirely on body language and facial expressions, Serkis flawlessly conveys his character's transformation from what is essentially a timid house-pet to a full-blown revolutionary. Giving real substance to the style provided by Weta's impeccable effects work, Serkis turns Caesar into a fully-realized character that easily outshines his human counterparts onscreen. Recognized by several smaller awards bodies, the stigma that still unfairly surrounds motion capture saw the actor's stunning performance shut out during awards season. If the Academy was more receptive Serkis would have had a real shot at landing Best Supporting Actor, he was that good.