Article Category: Articles from 2003

Amusing lament about the ways in which Viggo makes it difficult for "the rest of the male population" to compete for women's attention: "Once, it was not that hard for an ordinary Australian male to appear cultured.... But Viggo has raised the bar. How can we hope to even get near competing with a man who, when invited to address the crowd in New Zealand, starts by speaking flawless Maori. While wearing a UNICEF shirt."

LOS ANGELES — As odd as the connection might seem, there is something about “Lord of the Rings” actor Viggo Mortensen that unearths memories of “Apocalypse Now.” Marlon Brando’s enigmatic, cerebral Col. Kurtz was, as co-star Dennis Hopper says in 1979’s blow-your-mind Vietnam War film, “a poet-warrior in the classic sense.” “The man’s enlarged my […]

"Besides acting, Viggo Mortensen, better known as brave warrior Aragorn in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, also has plenty of passion for poetry, photography and painting."

Topics covered in this thoughtful interview include the filming of The Lord of the Rings, Viggo's Elvish contributions to the films, and the connections between Tolkien, politics, photography and life. "What [The Lord of the Rings] is about, and what the experience of working with these people is about," he says, "is celebrating the idea of fellowship and community, celebrating the effort to find common ground and considering that we really do have a lot more in common with others than not."

Round-table interview focuses on the moral aspects of Aragorn's character, on the philosophical and political implications of the Lord of the Rings, and on the need for dissent. Viggo: "You saw in the Vietnam war, where the government would say things or the media would reinforce that, [saying]: 'Let the congressmen, let the people in government judge the moral course of the country. There were placed there to judge these things. Let them do it.' That’s not what this country is about. This government is a government by the people, for the people."

From 19-Dec-2002 to the end of 2003, Viggo Mortensen lists some of the high and low points from his perspective, in art, films and especially world politics.

Interviewer Ariel Leve does her best to dig into Viggo Mortensen's psyche, concluding finally that he wants "to make an impression—not as an actor but as a man. He just wants to be a hero." Interesting article includes a section on Viggo's silence during the filming of The Passion of Darkly Noon.

Back in Argentina, where he spent his childhood, the actor travelled around the city, watched soccer, horses races, and talked about his experience shooting the last part of The Lord of the Rings. The man has the features very similar to Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Isildur’s heir, King of Arnor and Gondor, captain of the […]

Tongue-in-cheek summary of Viggo's admirable qualities, such as, "He's 45, effortlessly masculine, strikingly attractive and seemingly oblivious to this fact." Generously sprinkled with quotes from Viggo. Our favorite is #21: "He understands why, in dire times, you'd be tempted to 'set your house on fire and never answer the phone again, but it would be better to ask yourself: How can I be most useful to this world? Not that I'm a f*cking genius.'"

United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and Act Now to Stop War & End Racism (ANSWER) joined together in Washington D.C. in a call for unification of all who oppose the war and occupation of Iraq. Viggo Mortensen read his poem "Back To Babylon" at the rally and dedicated it to the people of Afghanistan, Iraq and the US. Article includes the text of the poem plus three photographs.

In an interview with a Norwegian journalist, Viggo talks about his art, Odense, his feelings toward the Scandinavian countries, and his love of the great sagas and their influence on The Lord of the Rings.

Interview with Viggo Mortensen about his art and music touches on 45301, The Other Parade, and upcoming works. He also talks about the purpose and future of Perceval Press. When asked how his photography and music differ for him, he answers: "There is no difference between these art forms, as long as one follows one's own path. The results are often surprising and usually fulfilling. It is a process that justifies itself by virtue of its exploratory nature. If communication with others is also achieved, it is an extra, unexpected gift."

Interview at Viggo's photography exhibition in Odense focuses on his work. Many comments from Viggo on his approach and philosophy, such as, "I think I take photos to make sure that I notice things. Some things you remember many years from now—without knowing why. And everybody remembers differently. Our pictures of the same event will be different from each other."

Viggo Mortensen talks about his priorities and how he makes time for his poetry and art while on a busy movie set. "For example, if you have a one-hour lunch break during shooting... you know it is better to have a nap if your body is very tired but in my case, I spent my time writing poems or painting. If I do so, my head can rest better." Illustrated with several of Viggo's photographs.

The two looked a bit tired when they showed up for interview. You could see it on their faces. Then, Viggo offered candies to reporters. What impressed me was how he tried to answer questions as simple as possible, although he seemed to want to speak much longer. QUESTION: You played men from kings’ family. […]

In this interview for a Japanese magazine, Cut, Viggo discusses the shooting of the Lord of the Rings, the movie's implications for modern life, and the roles of actors and directors in the creation of a film.

Describes an art show, poetry reading, and screening of The Fellowship of the Ring at St. Lawrence University, and the challenges related to Viggo's burgeoning popularity.

Interview with Viggo Mortensen and Karl Urban during their Japan tour focuses on their pacifist politics as contrasted with the intense physical combat portrayed in The Two Towers.

Translated transcript of a telephone interview by Noemi Miranda for the Chilean newspaper La Tercera. Topics include LOTR, Hidalgo, art, politics, and Viggo's philosophy of life.

This interviewer portrays Viggo Mortensen as a lone wolf, "the most rebellious star who ever got on the list of the 50 most beautiful people of the US-glamour-People magazine," a man who "avoids mirrors and hates parties." The article focuses on Viggo's work in The Lord of the Rings and other films, and on the success of his art and music.