The Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Visual Effects Society starting from 2002. Since its inception, the award's title has gone through six different title changes, and one major category shift. First awarded in 2002, the award was titled "Outstanding Character Animation in a Live Action Motion Picture" and given to the best character animation in a live action film, with no specific character cited. This would change in 2004, when the category was re-titled "Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture", and given to visual effects artists for work on a specified character. The category was again re-titled in 2008, this time to "Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture". In 2014, it was titled "Outstanding Performance of an Animated Character in a Photoreal/Live Action Feature Motion Picture", but changed in 2016 to "Outstanding Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature" and once again in 2017 to its current title.
Winners and nominees 2000s Outstanding Character Animation in a Live Action Motion Picture Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Ken McGaugh and Bay Raitt Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Dobby's Face David Andrews, Steven Rawlins, Frank Gravatt and Doug Smythe Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones Rob Coleman, Hal Hickel, Chris Armstrong and James Tooley 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Steven Hornby, Andy Serkis, Matthias Menz, and Greg Butler Hulk Scott Benza, Jamy Wheless, Kevin Martel and Aaron Ferguson Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Susan Campbell, James Tooley, Geoff Campbell and Dugan Beach Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hippogriff Michael Eames, David Lomax, Felix Balbas and Pablo Grillo Hellboy Sammael Dovi Anderson, Todd Labonte, Sven Jensen and Paul Thuriot Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Sunny Rick O'Connor, Martin Murphy, Indira Guettieri and Sam Breach 2005 King Kong King Kong Andy Serkis, Christian Rivers, Atsushi Sato, Guy Williams The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Aslan Richie Baneham, Erik De Boer, Matt Logue, Joe Ksander Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Dragon Steve Rawlins, Eric Wong, Robert Weaver and Steve Nichols 2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Davy Jones Steve Walton, Jung-Seung Hong, Marc Chu and James Tooley Charlotte's Web Templeton Todd Labonte, Jason Armstrong, Sven Jensen and David Richard Nelson Wilbur Grant Adam, Daniel Fotheringham, Avi Goodman and Paul Buckley 2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Davy Jones Hal Hickel, Marc Chu, Jakub Pistecky, Maia Kayser Enchanted Pip Tom Gibbons, James W. Brown, David Richard Nelson and John Koester I Am Legend Infected Leader David Schaub, Marco Marenghi and Josh Beveridge Spider-Man 3 Sandman Chris Yang, Bernd Anger, Dominick Cecere and Remington Scott Transformers Optimus Prime Rick O'Connor, Doug Sutton, Keiji Yamaguchi and Jeff White The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Crusoe Richard Francis-Moore, Martin Hill, Marco Revelant and Daniel Barrett Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2008 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Benjamin Button Steve Preeg, Matthias Wittmann, Tom St. Amand and David McLean Hellboy 2: The Golden Army Elemental Sequence Colin McEvoy and Christoph Ammann Iron Man Iron Man Hal Hickel, Bruce Holcomb, James Tooley and John Walker The Spiderwick Chronicles Hogsqueal Todd Labonte, Michael Brunet, Nathan Fredenburg and Aharon Bourland 2009 Avatar Neytiri Joe Letteri, Andrew R. Jones, Jeff Unay and Zoe Saldaña District 9 Christopher Johnson Steve Nichols, Jeremy Mesana, Vera Zivny and Brett Ineson G-Force Bucky Benjamin Cinelli, Dustin Wicke, Peter Tieryas and Ryan Yee Watchmen Doctor Manhattan Keith Smith, Kevin Hudson, Victor Schutz and Aaron Campbell
2010s Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Dobby Matthieu Vig, Ben Lambert, Laurie Brugger and Marine PoirsonCats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty GaloreKitty Galore William Groebe, Brian Medenhall, Aharon Bourland, Steve Reding The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Reepicheep Gabriele Zucchelli, Catherine Mullan, Benoit Dubuc and Pete Bayley Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Kreacher Laurent Laban, Will Brand, Matthieu Goutte and Jason Baker 2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes Caesar Daniel Barrett, Florian Fernandez, Matthew Muntean, Eric Reynolds Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 The Gringotts Dragon Yasunoby Arahori, Tom Bracht, Gavin Harrison and Chris Lentz Paul Paul Anders Beer, Julian Foddy, Jody Johnson and David Lowry The Thing Edvard/Adam Lyndon Barrois, Fred Chapman, Greg Massie and Marco Menco 2012 Life of Pi Richard Parker Erik De Boer, Sean Comer, Betsy Asher Hall, Kai-Hua Lan The Avengers The Hulk Marc Chu, John Doublestein, Cyrus Jam, Jason SmithThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Goblin King Jung Min Chang, James Jacobs, David Clayton and Guillaume Francois Gollum Gino Acevedo, Alessandro Bonora, Jeff Capogreco, Kevin Estey 2013 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Smaug Eric Reynolds, David Clayton, Myriam Catrin and Guillaume Francois Gravity Ryan Max Solomon, Mathieu Vig, Michael Brunet and David Shirk Pacific Rim Kaiju-Leatherback Jakub Pistecky, Frank Gravatt, Cyrus Jam and Chris Havreberg Outstanding Performance of an Animated Character in a Photoreal/Live Action Feature Motion Picture Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2014 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Caesar Paul Story, Eteuati Tema, Andrea Merlo and Emiliano Padovani Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Koba Daniel Barrett, Alessandro Bonora, Mark Edward Allen and Masaya Suzuki Guardians of the Galaxy Rocket Kevin Spruce, Rachel Williams, Laurie Brugger and Mark Wilson Maleficent Thistlewit Darren Hendler, Matthias Wittmann, Jeremy Buttell and Elliot Rosenstein Outstanding Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2015 The Revenant The Bear Matt Shumway, Gaelle Morand, Karin Cooper and Leandro Estebecorena Avengers: Age of Ultron The Hulk Jakub Pistecky, Lana Lan, John Walker and Sean Comer Chappie Chappie Chris Harvey, Mark Wendell and Robert Bourgeault Star Wars: The Force Awakens Maz Kanata Joel Bodin, Arslan Elver, Ian Comley and Stephen Cullingford 2016 The Jungle Book King Louie Paul Story, Dennis Yoo, Jack Tema and Andrei Coval Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Niffler Laurent Laban, Gabriel Beauvais-Tremblay, Luc Girard and Romain Rico The Jungle Book Shere Khan Chris Harvey, Mark Wendell and Robert Bourgeault Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Grand Moff Tarkin Sven Jensen, Jee Young Park, Steve Walton and Cyrus Jam Warcraft Durotan Sunny Wei, Brian Cantwell, Brian Paik and Jee Young Park Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2017 War for the Planet of the Apes Caesar Sunny Wei, Dennis Yoo, Ludovic Chailloleau, Douglas McHale and Tim Forbes Blade Runner 2049 Rachael Axel Akkeson, Stefano Carter, Wesley Chandler and Ian Cooke-Grimes Kong: Skull Island King Kong Laurent Laban, Gabriel Beauvais-Tremblay, Luc Girard and Romain Rico War for the Planet of the Apes Bad Ape Eteuati Tema, Aidan Martin, Florian Fernandez and Mathias Larserud 2018 Avengers: Infinity War Thanos Jan Philip Cramer, Darren Hendler, Paul Story, Sidney Kombo-Kintombo Christopher Robin Tigger Arslan Elver, Kayn Garcia, Laurent Laban and Mariano MendiburuJurassic World: Fallen KingdomIndoraptorJance Rubinchik, Ted Lister, Yannick Gillain, Keith Ribbons Ready Player One Art3mis Dave Shirk, Brian Cantwell, Jung-Seung Hong and Kim Ooi 2019 Alita: Battle Angel Alita Michael Cozens, Mark Haenga, Olivier Lesaint, Dejan MomcliovicAvengers: Endgame Smart Hulk Kevin Martel, Ebrahim Jahromi, Sven Jensen, Rober AllmanGemini Man Junior Paul Story, Stuart Adcock, Emiliano Padovani, Marco RevelantThe Lion KingScar Gabriel Arnold, James Hood, Julia Friedl, Daniel Fortheringham
2020s Year Film Character Nominee(s) 2020 The One and Only Ivan Ivan Valentina Rosselli, Thomas Huizer, Andrea De Martis, William Bell The Kangaroo Chronicles Kangaroo Claudius Urban, Sebastian Badea, Dorian Knapp, Ruth Wiegand Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Don Juan Diego Eric Guaglione, Shuchi Singhal, Adrien Annesley, Mahmoud Ellithy The Witches Daisy Jye Skinn, Sarah Fuller, Marco Iannaccone, Fredrik Sundqvist 2021 Finch Jeff Harinarayan Rajeev, Matthias Schoenegger, Simon Allen, Paul Nelson Flora & Ulysses Ulysses Pierre-Loïc Hamon, Sachin Tyagi, Nandini Nambiar, Loïc Mireault Jungle Cruise Aguirre Alexander Lee, Claus Pedersen, Rasely Ma, Gary Wu Venom: Let There Be Carnage Carnage Richard Spriggs, Ricardo Silva, Lucas Cuenca, Federico Frassinelli 2022 Avatar: The Way of Water Kiri Harinarayan Rajeev, Matthias Schoenegger, Simon Allen, Paul Nelson Beast Lion Alvise Avati, Bore Şahin, Chris McGaw, Krzysztof Boyoko Disney's PinocchioHonest JohnChristophe Paradis, Valentina Rosselli, Armita Khanlarpour, Kyoungmin KimSlumberlandPigFernando Lopes Herrera, Victor Dinis, Martine Chartrand, Lucie Martinetto 2023Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Rocket Nathan McConnel, Andrea De Martis, Antony Magdalinidis, Rachel WilliamsAquaman and the Lost KingdomTopo the OctopusThomas Ward, Andrew Butler, Felix Slinger-Thompson, Jacob BursteinGodzilla Minus OneGodzillaKosuke Taguchi, Takashi YamazakiWonkaOompa LoompaDale Newton, Kunal Ayer, Valentina Ercolani, Gabor Foner 2024Better ManRobbie WilliamsMilton Ramírez, Andrea Merlo, Seoungseok Charlie Kim, Eteuati TemaKingdom of the Planet of the ApesNoaRachael Dunk, Andrei Coval, John Sore, Niels Peter KaagaardRakaSeoungseok Charlie Kim, Giorgio Lafratta, Tim Teramoto, Aidan MartinMufasa: The Lion KingTakaKlaus Skovbo, Valentina Rosselli, Eli De Koninck, Amelie Talarmain
Superlatives Films with Multiple Nominations 2 Nominations Charlotte's Web (2006) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes* Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1* The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Jungle Book (2016)* War for the Planet of the Apes*
Characters with Multiple Awards 3 Wins Caesar
2 Wins Davy Jones
External links Visual Effects Society
References