For many in the UK right now, negotiations over Brexit can at times seem like the political version of an epic Lord of the Rings-style fantasy, involving an unending number of convoluted scenarios, bouts of chaos, multiple characters, and an almost impossible goal.
That feeling came to life today with the reappearance of Andy Serkis in his famed role of Gollum in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Serkis revived the character to parody one of the few things people both for and against Brexit seem to be united on—an intense dislike of prime minister Theresa May’s EU withdrawal agreement. May’s deal has generated so much opposition, that she was forced today to cancel a long-awaited parliamentary vote scheduled for tomorrow.
In a video posted to a Facebook group called We Wants It, a nod to the Lord of the Rings character destroyed by his obsession of the ring, which he calls “my precious,” Serkis is seen sporting a grey wig, red lipstick, and gold earrings in the style of the beleaguered May.
The clip begins with a bureaucrat handing over the text of the Brexit withdrawal agreement to the British actor as he hisses “precious.” Like his Lord of the Rings character, he’s split between his good side, which in this case backs Remain, and a bad one, which backs Leave.
“We takes back control. Money, borders, laws, blue passportses,” the faux-May says, nodding to the UK’s former passport color before it switched to burgundy in 1988 to match its EU peers. The dark side then takes over: “No, it hurts the people, makes them poorer. But I finds it, I negotiates it, we wants it.”
Serkis supports a second Brexit referendum, and participated in a 700,000-person-strong “People’s Vote March” in October calling for one. He has yet to comment on what motivated him to make the film.