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Andy Serkis was born with  two thumbs on his right hand,  but had one of them surgically removed as a child.

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Serkis originally trained  as a painter and illustrator  before pursuing a  career in acting. 

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Serkis was initially hired to  do voice work for Gollum in  "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy,  but ended up performing the character's motion capture as well. 

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Serkis provided the voice  and motion capture for  Supreme Leader Snoke in the  "Star Wars" sequel trilogy. 

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Serkis has also directed several  films, including "Breathe" (2017)  and "Mowgli: Legend of the  Jungle" (2018).

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Serkis is a skilled musician  and has played the piano  and the guitar since  he was a child. 

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Serkis was a member of the experimental theatre group The Drowned Man, which was known  for its immersive and interactive performances. 

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Serkis played the role of Captain Haddock in Steven Spielberg's  motion capture adaptation of  "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011). 

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Serkis is a patron of the  charity The Big Issue, which  helps homeless and  disadvantaged people in the UK. 

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Serkis is a lifelong fan of the  band The Cure and has said  that their music has had a  significant influence on his  life and work.