Here Are 11 Performances That Required CGI To Pull Off, And The Actors Behind Them Killed It
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Let's face it: Whenever a new movie trailer drops, people talk about a CGI character's look instead of the actor's performance, especially if it is a CGI character like in the new Marvel show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Disney Platform Distribution
Actor performances of CGI characters often go overlooked. So I compiled a list of actors (whose performances required the help of CGI) who killed their roles, and their acting behind the scenes is true "movie magic":
1.Bill Nighy brought the terror (and sass) as Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The Davy Jones CGI quality still looks top class today. This isn't a list of CGI quality, though, and the man behind the character often goes overlooked. Nighy brings a real attitude to this menacing, squid-faced character that can only be described as cheeky.
Just watching his facial expressions is pretty special in the behind-the-scenes footage, how every movement has a purpose and only strengthens the character's final presentation.
You can check out Nighy transforming into the cursed creature in the video below:
2.Benedict Cumberbatch unleashed fire and death with his intense performance as the dragon Smaug in The Hobbit trilogy.
Warner Bros. Pictures
If you ever wanted to watch a grown man drooling and crawling on the floor for his character, look no further than Cumberbatch's killer performance as the dragon under the mountain.
He uses his whole body to get into character. It is a masterpiece to watch, and although it looks a little funny, his dedicated performance helps elevate a role that he easily could've just provided the voice for.
You can see Cumberbatch squirm and growl in the video below:
3.Koba actor Toby Kebbell stole the show with his acting in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
20th Century Fox
In a movie full of primates, it's hard to stand out, especially with Andy Serkis starring as Cesar, but Kebbell did just that with Koba.
The character served as one of the antagonists of the film, and seeing Kebbell bring the character to life behind the scenes is quite the trip. Kebbell brings a different physical presence from the stern, powerful lead in Serkis. He is as creepy as he is compelling.
You can watch Kebbell become Koba in the video below:
4.Josh Brolin SNAPPED playing Thanos in the Avengers films.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Puns aside, Brolin made playing a mad titan look almost too easy, but when you watch behind-the-scenes clips, there is more to his performance than a rugged voice.
The unmoved facial expressions that quickly turn rageful at the drop of a dime really make this villain larger than life. It's not about his size or powers, but the calculated behavior of the character that Brolin pours his soul into. Maybe that's why the Soul Stone was so powerful lol.
You can watch Brolin bathe the starways with his tremendous acting in the clip below:
5.In a galaxy far, far away, Lupita Nyong'o brought balance to Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
If I had the opportunity to be in a Star Wars film, scooting around on my knees in a motion capture suit wouldn't be my idea of a fun time. Well, Nyong'o took on the role of a 1,000-plus-year-old alien and really committed to her character.
When you watch her behind the scenes and see all the little movements she had for the character, it really makes you appreciate the choices she made for the role.
You can watch Nyong'o become an alien in the clip below:
6.Zoe Saldaña brought out the emotions for Neytiri in Avatar.
20th Century Fox
There was plenty of star power in Avatar, but Saldaña stole the show and never even showed her face throughout the film.
The range her character brings is unlike any other in the film, and she had to rely on the motion capture process to really convey her emotional impact in every line. If you watch behind-the-scenes clips of her, you feel the anger in her voice while, at the same time, her cries sound like an alien. I think it was one of the bigger acting snubs during awards season that year, and it was a film that had plenty of visual nominations.
You can see Saldaña's intense performance in the video below:
7.Ray Winstone brought untamed intensity to Beowulf with a bold performance.
Paramount Pictures
I could write a whole post about the boldness of Beowulf going unappreciated, but focusing on the lead title character, Winstone really evolved into this character of legend.
The behind-the-scenes videos show he wasn't just a powerful voice but also a presence on set, thanks to motion capture technology.
You can watch Winstone slay beasts in the video below:
8.Alan Tudyk played a robot named Sonny that tugged at the audience's heartstrings in iRobot.
20th Century Fox
One of the earlier examples of great acting behind CGI is Tudyk as the iRobot character Sonny, a robot that feels and dreams. You would think a robotic performance would be an insult, but Tudyk balances the voice of a robot with the inflections of a machine with humanity, which is a thing of beauty to watch in the behind-the-scenes footage.
His performance in Rogue One as droid character K-2SO was highly praised, but no one should forget Sonny.
You can watch Tudyk capture the performance in the video below:
9.Rosa Salazar brought life to the film Alita: Battle Angel with an extraordinary performance.
20th Century Fox
This entry might seem less impressive compared with others because the final product isn't that drastically different from Salazar. Keep in mind that she served as the title character in this film, which meant more screentime and a higher demand for her acting range than other characters.
As seen in behind-the-scenes footage, she found her character in all different kinds of environments, making this one of the most physically challenging roles on this list.
Check out Salazar bringing Alita to life in the video below:
10.Andy Serkis had people calling for him to win an Oscar for his portrayal of Gollum (and Sméagol) in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
New Line Cinema
It wouldn't be a CGI list without the Citizen Kane of mo-cap performances: Serkis as Gollum. When people first saw the behind-the-scenes clips of his characters Gollum and Sméagol arguing, it mainstreamed the popularity of motion capture performances. More and more films utilized the technique.
You can watch the classic clip of Serkis arguing with himself in the video below:
11.Ahmed Best introduced the world to Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace and changed cinema.
20th Century Fox
There's no punchline here. I understand people have a sour opinion about the character, but everyone sleeps on this groundbreaking performance. Seriously, Best is like the Neil Armstrong of motion capture acting. Jar Jar walked (clumsily) so everyone else could run.
The behind-the-scenes documentary The Beginning: The Making of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace is one of my all-time favorites, and it really gives the audience a good look at just how uncharted the "motion capture territory" was for Best and how he really shined in the role when the cameras rolled.
