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The Star Wars sequel trilogy was filled with a number of twists and turns - a number of which proved to be somewhat controversial among fans. One of the biggest was arguably the true identity of Supreme Leader Snoke. After seemingly being set up as the Big Bad in The Force Awakens, he was promptly killed during the events of The Last Jedi. Though fans later learned he was actually an artificial being engineered and used by Emperor Palpatine. With such a complex arc, some may have wondered just how much Andy Serkis knew about his character’s true nature. Well, the actor has now provided some clarification.
Andy Serkis has been a part of a number of high-profile franchises, whether it be The Lord of the Rings, the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Planet of the Apes. With that in mind, he knows how to keep a secret, and he never dropped any spare details on Snoke during his tenure in the Star Wars universe. Time has moved on though and, while speaking with ComicBookMovie.com, he offered some insight into what he knew while working on those first two films:
It was very much under wraps. Very much under wraps. I had an inkling, but it was not confirmed.
Well, based on Andy Serkis’ comments, it looks like even he wasn’t completely in the loop when it came to Supreme Leader Snoke’s origins. Still, the clever performer must have been tipped off to it somehow if he had “an inkling” of suspicion.
In retrospect, Snoke’s arc is pretty complex, if not uneven. Those looking to re-examine it can do so by revisiting the sequel trilogy on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.
Secrecy is a serious thing when it comes to Star Wars, though it’s possible the producers didn’t just keep the news from the actor in an attempt to keep things from leaking. Seeing as Snoke was only a mouthpiece for Palpatine, the filmmakers may not have wanted Serkis’ performance to be affected by that fact. That way he could ensure Snoke would still have a distinct personality of his own.
Following the release of 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars literature has continued to clarify the origins of Snoke. Unfortunately, his quick demise and ultimate reveal have still drawn mixed responses. Something fans can still agree on, though, is that Andy Serkis gave a top-notch performance as the villainous character, utilizing his imposing voice to great effect.
It’ll be interesting to see what might be revealed about Supreme Leader Snoke as the years go on. But it’s a safe bet that he’ll continue to be one of the most widely debated characters in all of Star Wars canon.
