“War for the Planet of the Apes” star Woody Harrelson was “freaking” when he saw the franchise's first film

e_getty_woody_harrelson_07102017

Getty Images/Ray Tamarra(NEW YORK) — Actor Woody Harrelson was a Planet of the Apes fanboy before he starred as the heavy in the upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes.

“When I saw the first one of this trilogy, I was freaking,” he said on Good Morning America Monday. “I said ‘This is amazing…I can’t wait to see the next one,’ then I saw the second one and I was like, ‘Man, I can’t wait to see the next one — and then I got to be in it! And it’s really cool!”

Woody plays Colonel, the human commander bent on wiping out the human-like, advanced apes.

The actor marveled at Andy Serkis, who plays Caesar and who helped revolutionize the motion-capture technology that brings Caesar and the other apes to life. Woody says acting opposite his motion-capture colleagues was interesting.

“It takes a couple of days. You got … all these dots on their faces, and they’re wearing these grey suits and …You see the camera right in front of their face and…it’s a little bit of getting used to…And Andy [Serkis] — one of the greatest actors I’ve ever worked with,” says Harrelson. “Incredible.”

With War, this brings Harrelson’s movie franchise count to three, along with The Hunger Games, and the upcoming Star Wars Han Solo film.  While he’s having fun, he says his daughters Zoe, 20, Deni, 24, and Makani, 11, aren’t impressed with their dad’s resume. 

“Well, they’re hard to impress these days, ” he laughed. “Very, very hard to impress but they haven’t seen the other two, so they’ve just seen Hunger Games so but we’ll see…”

War for the Planet of the Apes, which also stars Amiah Miller, Steve Zahn, and Judy Greer, opens Friday.


ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

53e68-dance-9

Bend Community Contra Dance

Bend Community Contra Dance: Live traditional music and couple dancing akin to square dance. Come solo or bring a partner to join in the fun. Beginners welcome! Saturday 11.09.25 6:45 to 9:30 $10/person Band: Fiddler Darin Gentry

sting301710174758

STING 3.0 Live at Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Sting is set to captivate audiences with his “STING 3.0” Live Tour at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater. This highly anticipated event promises an unforgettable evening filled with the iconic sounds that have defined his illustrious career. Fans

neavetrio4_byarthurmoeller

HDCM Concert Series: NEAVE TRIO

Friday, April 18, 2025, 7:30pmUnitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central OregonConcert Sponsor: Drew Family Dentistry This Grammy-nominated group has earned enormous praise for their engaging, cutting-edge performances. Gramophone has praised this Boston-based group’s “taut and vivid interpretations,” while

scaled_768-18

Wildlife Trivia at The Lot

Think Wild Trivia Nights are back this winter! Test your knowledge of local wildlife, outdoor recreation, conservation news, and more! Support Central Oregon’s wildlife hospital, win fun prizes, and enjoy delicious food and beverages at The Lot!