Producer Gil Cates is said to be on the brink of announcing his
choice to host the March 5 Academy Awards. While handicappers fling
around the obvious names -- Billy Crystal (he says no), Whoopi Goldberg
(we hope no) -- how about someone completely different? Andy Serkis.

In the past few years, Serkis probably has earned the
distinction of "most seen on the big screen yet unrecognized
on the street." A veteran of British stage, TV and screen, he has
developed a bit of a specialty "acting" and voicing characters whose
images are computer-generated. Let's stop wringing our hands, shall we,
about whether Serkis and other performers following in his footsteps
should be eligible for special acting awards. Such decisions take way
too long. Instead, let's throw a little spotlight on him now. Think
about it: He could do the first part of the show as creepy Gollum from
the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the second as Kong, the great ape
with the expressive face.