How An Ever-Evolving Snoke Became A Massive Challenge For Andy Serkis

So, you ever wonder what was really going on with Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars sequels? Well, apparently, Andy Serkis wondered the same thing. The guy played Snoke, but even he wasn’t exactly sure what the deal was—at least not until it was basically over. This is one of those behind-the-scenes stories that says a lot about how off-the-cuff the new Star Wars trilogy really was.

Who Is Snoke, Anyway?

When Snoke first showed up in The Force Awakens, he was all shadowy hologram and ominous robes—which, of course, set off the usual firestorm of online fan theories about his true identity. ‘Is he Darth Plagueis?’ ‘Is he some ancient Sith?’ Turns out, nope: by The Rise of Skywalker, we find out he's basically a genetically-engineered puppet made by Palpatine. Not the most thrilling payoff, but that’s what we got.

Even Andy Serkis Was Kept in the Dark

On a recent episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Serkis talked about just how weird it was playing a character whose backstory and purpose seemed to change all the time. When asked if J.J. Abrams had told him Snoke was set to be the main villain for the whole trilogy, Serkis basically shrugged and said, ‘I can't really remember... It’s sort of a blur with Snoke.’

According to Serkis, Snoke was constantly being rewritten, even while they were already shooting. ‘It was still unclear, I think, where he was and what he actually represented in that first film.’ Translation: everyone on the internet was confused, and so were the people actually making the movie.

He went on to say that it took ages to figure out the character, and it wasn't until they started doing the facial capture and actual voice work that Snoke’s personality even began to make sense. By the time he finally wrapped his mind around it (read: the second film), they pulled the rug out from under him: 'by then, it was just a little too late.'

The 'Meaty' Role That Wasn't

Rian Johnson, the director of The Last Jedi, apparently promised Serkis he'd have a much bigger role in that film. But what did that actually mean? Well, here’s how Serkis describes the experience:

'I'll never forget reading the script for The Last Jedi because you go to Pinewood and you’re locked in a room and they take your mobile phone off you, and then you start reading the script and it was just, “Oh, this is getting really good now. This is such a good scene.” And then it’s just like, “Alright, you’ve just been cut in half.”'

So yeah, not quite the major arc he or the fans were expecting. One minute, he’s center stage. The next: literally two pieces.

Quick Detour: Serkis’s New Project

Switching gears: Serkis is back in the director’s seat for an animated version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. So far, critics have not been kind. But, in a bit of a twist, our reviewer Steve Seigh actually enjoyed it—he thinks it’s not a perfect adaptation but way better than most people give it credit for. (If you want more on that, check out Steve’s review.) The movie drops May 1.

Summary in One List

• The original plan for Snoke? Pretty murky, even for the actor who played him.
• Serkis didn’t really know who Snoke was until his character was already being killed off.
• Promises of a bigger role in The Last Jedi ended abruptly (like, literally cut in half).
• Serkis is directing Animal Farm, and despite the bad buzz, it’s got at least one fan on our team.

So if you were confused by Snoke’s whole deal: turns out, that confusion was baked in from the very start. Sometimes, the person behind the mask is just as lost as the rest of us.