Who are Andy Serkis’ family members?

Andy Serkis is a British actor and director, born on April 20, 1964, in Ruislip, West London, England. He has been interested in acting and production since his college days. He studied visual arts and theatre at Lancaster University, and also performed in many plays. He started his acting career in the late 1980s with small roles on TV. He made his acting debut with the TV show Morris Minor and His Marvellous Motors in 1989, and his film debut with Prince of Jutland in 1994. His breakthrough role was in The Lord of the Rings trilogy as Gollum.

His other work includes 24 Hour Party People (2002), 13 Going on 30 (2004), King Kong (2005), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Black Panther (2018), The Batman (2022), etc. He has also directed Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021).

Andy Serkis's parents

Andy Serkis was born to parents of mixed heritage. His father, Clement Serkis, was an Armenian-Iraqi doctor. His mother, Lylie Serkis, was British and worked as a teacher. Andy has often shared that he had a unique and diverse upbringing because of his parents’ different backgrounds. His father worked in Iraq for some time, so Andy spent part of his childhood there, which gave him exposure to different cultures and experiences at a young age.

In an interview with The Guardian, Andy said, “Our family were outsiders and I've always had a sense of the outsider, the underdog, and a strong sense of justice towards people who are excluded. I remember my brother coming home from school with a letter that was being passed around his mates, and it was racist ... and it made me feel really angry and upset. I made him tear it up and told him why it was wrong.”

His father, Clement, was a doctor who specialized in working with the disabled, and his mother, Lylie, taught people with learning difficulties. Both parents worked in roles that focused on helping others, and this had a big influence on Andy while growing up. He has said in interviews that his parents taught him to be curious, kind, and hardworking. His upbringing was not focused on acting, but his parents always encouraged creativity and imagination.

In an interview with The Guardian, he talked about how his parents' hard work shaped his life. He said, “My father was interested in justice, always working for people who needed to be supported. He built a hospital in Baghdad, a civilian hospital for ordinary people, but it was taken over by Saddam...” He further added, “Working for others was something that my parents role-modelled for me. As well as Dad's work in Iraq, my mother worked at a school for disabled children, in addition to raising five of us almost single-handedly. So there was a strong sense of the importance of helping others, and I think I've carried that into my life. I'm very interested in the idea of theatre as a transformative experience - of the potential of drama to change lives, and not just to entertain people.”

Andy Serkis' wife and children

Andy Serkis is married to actress Lorraine Ashbourne. She is a British actress born on January 7, 1961, in Manchester, England. She has appeared in many TV shows and films in the UK. Some of her popular roles include The Bill (1987), Playing the Field (1998), Jane Eyre (2006), Silent Witness (2014), and Midsomer Murders (2018). Lorraine is known for her performances and has worked in both theater and on-screen productions. Andy and Lorraine have been in a relationship since 1993. They got married in July 2002, and they have been married for 23 years.

In an interview with Red Magazine, he shared that now they want to travel more together. He said, “Lorraine and I want to do more travelling. We’d love to go to South America. I also want to do more climbing; I’ve been to Everest base camp and solo climbed the Matterhorn, so more of that! When we’re away, we miss each other like crazy, then when we’re together, we’re really happy. We like to be active; we might walk across Hampstead Heath or cycle down to Rotherhithe and get a cup of coffee on the river.”

The couple has 3 children - 2 sons, Sonny and Louis, and a daughter named Ruby. Louis and Ruby have followed in their father’s footsteps. Louis played the lead role in the film The Kid Who Would Be King (2019), and he has also voiced young characters in animated films. Ruby has worked in Cider with Rosie (2015), and they are both already gaining attention for their acting skills.

Andy and Lorraine are supportive parents. In an interview with WHAS11+, Andy said, "I'm just extraordinarily proud. Seeing him go through all the work, the training, the buildup, and then the filming." He further added, "All my kids are just growing up. We try and keep things normal when we're at home, but it's very special to have them see things going on. They're experiencing traveling and seeing the world... having their experiences broadened. It's great."