Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Mortensen is a versatile American actor with a career spanning various genres and mediums. His breakthrough came with a small role in the 1985 thriller Witness, and he went on to build a diverse filmography. Some of his notable films include The Indian Runner.


However, Mortensen gained widespread international recognition for his portrayal of Aragorn in Peter Jackson's epic fantasy trilogy The Lord of the Rings. His collaboration with filmmaker David Cronenberg in films like A History of Violence and Eastern Promises earned him critical acclaim, with an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for the latter.


Apart from acting, Mortensen has a keen interest in various artistic pursuits, including fine arts, photography, poetry, and music. In 2002, he founded the Perceval Press, a publishing house dedicated to showcasing his works as well as those of lesser-known artists and authors.


Additionally, he contributed to The Lord of the Rings soundtrack by singing and composing. Mortensen has also collaborated with guitarist Buckethead on several musical projects.


In 2020, Viggo Mortensen took on the role of director in the film Falling, marking his directorial debut. He also starred in the movie, showcasing his multifaceted talents within the entertainment industry.


Viggo Mortensen's early life was marked by a diverse and international upbringing. Born in New York City on October 20, 1958, to Grace Gamble and Viggo Peter Mortensen Sr., he had a mixed heritage, with his mother being American and his father Danish. The couple met in Norway, and Mortensen's maternal grandfather hailed from Canada, while his paternal grandmother was from Trondheim, Norway.


The Mortensen family moved extensively during Viggo's childhood, residing in Venezuela, Denmark, and eventually settling in Argentina. They lived in various provinces, including Córdoba, Chaco, and Buenos Aires.


During this time, Mortensen attended primary school and became fluent in Spanish as his father managed poultry farms and ranches. Despite being baptized Lutheran in his father's tradition, Mortensen's upbringing was culturally rich and diverse due to his international experiences.


At the age of 11, Mortensen's parents divorced, and he, along with his two younger brothers, returned with their mother to the United States. Mortensen spent the rest of his childhood in New York State, graduating from Watertown High School in 1976. He furthered his education at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1980 with a focus on Spanish studies and politics.


After completing his undergraduate studies, Mortensen embarked on a journey through Europe, living in the United Kingdom and Spain before returning to Denmark. During this time, he took on various jobs, including driving trucks in Esbjerg and selling flowers in Copenhagen. Eventually, he returned to the United States with the goal of pursuing a career in acting, marking the beginning of his successful and varied career in the entertainment industry.


Viggo Mortensen's journey into film began with his first credited role in Witness , where he played an Amish farmer. Interestingly, he was simultaneously cast for a role in Shakespeare in the Park's production of Henry V but opted for the film role in Witness. His scenes in his actual debut film, The Purple Rose of Cairo, were unfortunately deleted from the final cut.


Despite the initial setback, Mortensen's career gained momentum. His performance as an Amish farmer in Witness caught the attention of the director, Peter Weir, who believed Mortensen had the perfect face for the role. This marked the start of his film career, and he considered the experience on Witness as highly positive.


In 1987, Mortensen won a Dramalogue Critics' Award for his role in the play Bent at the Coast Playhouse in Los Angeles, which explored the lives of homosexual prisoners in a concentration camp. Notably, Mortensen later co-starred with Ian McKellen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.


Throughout the 1990s, Mortensen appeared in various supporting roles in films such as The Portrait of a Lady, Young Guns II, "The Indian Runner, Carlito's Way, Crimson Tide, G.I. Jane, A Walk on the Moon, and others. He played Master Chief John Urgayle in G.I. Jane, a role for which he became well-known.


Mortensen's diverse roles showcased his acting range and laid the foundation for his future success, including his acclaimed performances in films like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and collaborations with directors like David Cronenberg in the 2000s.


Viggo Mortensen's major mainstream breakthrough occurred in 1999 when director Peter Jackson cast him as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Interestingly, Mortensen was a last-minute replacement for Stuart Townsend and initially would not have taken the role of Aragorn if not for his son's enthusiasm for J.R.R. Tolkien's novel.


His portrayal of Aragorn received critical acclaim, and he was ranked No. 15 on a 2015 survey of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters conducted by Empire.


Mortensen's dedication to his roles was evident in his performance as Aragorn. He often performed his own stunts, and despite sustaining injuries, including two broken toes, his enthusiasm for the role remained unwavering. The Two Towers DVD extras featured the film's swordmaster, Bob Anderson, describing Mortensen as the best swordsman I've ever trained.


During the filming of The Two Towers, Mortensen, along with co-stars Orlando Bloom and Brett Beattie , experienced painful injuries, earning them the nickname the walking wounded from director Peter Jackson. Additionally, Mortensen purchased the two horses, Uraeus and Kenny, whom he had ridden and bonded with over the course of the trilogy.


In 2004, Mortensen starred as Frank Hopkins in Hidalgo, a film telling the story of an ex-army courier traveling to Arabia to compete with his horse, Hidalgo, in a dangerous desert race.


Mortensen continued his successful collaboration with director David Cronenberg in the 2005 film A History of Violence. His role as a family man with a dark past earned him a nomination for a Satellite Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. Cronenberg noted in the DVD extras that Mortensen was the only actor he knew who would return from weekends with his family with items he had bought to use as props on the set, showcasing his commitment to his craft.


In 2006, Viggo Mortensen took on the role of Captain Diego Alatriste in the Spanish language film "Alatriste." The film is based on the series of novels The Adventures of Captain Alatriste written by Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte.


In September 2007, Mortensen starred in the film Eastern Promises, directed by David Cronenberg, which garnered critical acclaim for both the film itself and Mortensen's performance. He played the role of a Russian gangster on the rise in London.


Mortensen's standout nude fight scene in a steam room received particular praise, with Roger Ebert noting that it would be referred to as a benchmark in the future. His performance in Eastern Promises earned him the Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film award from the British Independent Film Awards, and he was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.


In 2009, Mortensen appeared as himself in the film "Reclaiming The Blade, where he discussed his passion for swordplay and his experiences with sword-work in films such as The Lord of the Rings and Alatriste.


He shared insights into his collaboration with Bob Anderson, the swordmaster on several notable films, including The Lord of the Rings, Alatriste, and Pirates of the Caribbean. This showcased Mortensen's dedication not only to acting but also to the various aspects of filmmaking, including the physical and technical aspects of his roles.

References

1.  Stone, Andrew; Carolyn Bain; Michael Booth; Fran Parnell (2008). "Cinema". Lonely Planet Denmark. Lonely Planet. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-74104-669-4. Although [Mortensen] was born in New York and has lived outside of Denmark for most of his life, he retains Danish citizenship.
2. ^ Nielsen, Marie Ravn (October 23, 2010). "Viggo Mortensen slået til ridder". DR (in Danish). Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
3. ^ Jump up to:
4. a b "UPI Almanac for Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020". United Press International. October 20, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2021. ...actor Viggo Mortensen in 1958 (age 62)...
5. ^ " Flawed father role a test for Viggo Mortensen" Archived August 16, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Toronto Star, Michael O'Sullivan, July 16, 2016.