Viggo Mortensen: filmography, starring, biography

He says he starred in a pile of bad films. But, if there was an opportunity to live this part of life anew, again they would be removed. This is the lessons of life, and you can not skip lessons. Viggo Mortensen, whose filmography numbers about six dozen films and series, is distinguished by a serious and thoughtful attitude to life and profession.

American with Danish roots

His father is Viggo Peter Mortensen Sr. - Dane, mother - Grace Gamble (Atkinson) - American, whose ancestors came from Canada. They met in Europe, in Norway, and after the marriage moved to New York, where in 1958, on October 20, Viggo Junior was born. Two years later Mortensen went to South America, where the head of the family was engaged in agricultural business in Argentina and Venezuela. There were two younger brothers Viggo. Spanish is one of the six languages spoken by Viggo Mortensen. The filmography of the actor contains several Hispanic roles.

After the parents divorced in 1969, Viggo returns with her mother and brothers to the United States, to the town of Watertown, New York. His youth is typical of its priorities - rock music, sports. And he got carried away with photography. He entered the University of St. Lawrence in Canton, where he studied management and Spanish, and in 1980 received a bachelor's degree. To start an independent life, he follows in the footsteps of his father and leaves for Europe, to relatives, to Denmark.

The beginning of acting career

Two years Viggo spent, engaged in a variety of work - he worked on a grandfather's farm, was a waiter, a driver. Especially he liked to trade flowers in Copenhagen. In 1982, on the advice of his then-girlfriend, he returned to America with the intention of becoming an actor. Two more years he attended the theatrical school of Warren Robertson, while simultaneously beginning to enter the theatrical stage in different productions.
Interestingly, we could not recognize an actor named Viggo Mortensen. Filmography, the main roles they played, could belong to Vigu Morten - the theatrical agent hired by him first of all advised to shorten the name and surname.

Moving to Los Angeles, he continued to play in the theater, earning the critics' praise for playing the part in Martin Sherman's play "Addiction," and gained some fame by starring in a small episode of the mini-series "George Washington."
Viggo Mortensen, whose filmography begins in 1985, began work in the movie with "Purple Rose Cairo" Woody Allen. While editing the scene with his participation were cut, but the actor liked the director of the film "Witness" Australian Peter Weir, and he gave him a small role. In this thriller, Viggo worked with Harrison Ford and Alexander Godunov.

Next to the stars

In the career of Viggo a lot of author's films, but these works have gone unnoticed. Gradually, the directors and producers remembered this name - Viggo Mortensen. His filmography in the early 90's includes many supporting roles, but in paintings where real stars take part and which had a spectatorial and commercial success. He acquires the glory of the performer of the negative roles of petty crooks or unrepentant and descended characters.

Among the many passages he starred in the films "Indian Runaway" with Sean Penn (1991), "Ruby of Cairo" with Andy McDowell (1993), "The Way of Carlito" with Al Pacino (1993), "The Prophecy" with Christopher Walken (1995). ) And the American Yakuza (1993). From the second half of the 90's, his characters began to appear more romantic and noble features. Stage roles in the film became roles in the films "Jane's Soldier" (1997), "Perfect Murder" (1998) and "Walk on the Moon" (1999). The image, which the actor Viggo Mortensen began to acquire, has changed. Filmography was supplemented by paintings, where he plays beautiful, positive, courageous heroes. The role of Aragorn became an apotheosis.

Marriage, son, divorce

During the shootings in the comedy "Salvation" (1986) Viggo met an extravagant singer, the frontman of the punk band "X" (Ex) Iksen (Christina Lee) Cervenka. In the summer of 1987 they were married, and at the beginning of the next year they had a son - Henry Blake Mortensen.

The couple's life lasted 11 years and ended in 1992. After the divorce, they maintained normal relations, and in the education of their son, both take an equal part. It was Henry who "forced" his father to accept the proposal of director Peter Jackson to play the role of the noble Aragorn, who became Viggo's starry hour.

Rise of the King

The new executor of the role of King of the people Peter Jackson had to look urgently, after he realized that the originally approved Stuart Townsend is too young for her. Unlike his son, Viggo did not read Tolkien's novels and asked for some time to meditate - there was a lot of work to do on the other end of the planet - in New Zealand, where the "Lord of the Rings" was mostly filmed. Henry's arguments about the immense popularity of the fantasy genre and especially the world created by Tolkien were not decisive, but Viggo Mortensen became significant - Aragorn. Filmography, the biography of the actor entered a new, most important stage of development.

He took a very responsible attitude to work: he became a professional rider, he did not part with the sword, he achieved virtuosity in fencing, long and persistently trained with stuntmen and even learned to speak in elf language. The trilogy about the Ring of All-Power opened a new era in spectacular cinema, made the actors who worked in it, cult figures.

Artist, photographer, writer, musician

After the grand success of the saga of Middle-earth, he began to receive many proposals from directors and producers, he was added to various lists of the most beautiful and sexual men of the planet. He accepts offers, but after a long and thorough study. As Viggo Mortensen says, the roles are now looking for him. After 2004, when the last part of the Tolkien trilogy was published, he appeared in several successful projects: "Justified Cruelty" (2005), "Vice" (2007), "Road" (2009), "Dangerous Method" (2011). In 2016, a new film with his participation - "Captain Fantastic."

But even when he is not removed, Viggo does not sit idle. He has long been known among art critics and art lovers as an original poet and artist. In Los Angeles, several successful exhibitions of his paintings and photographs took place. He released several discs of jazz music. He is the owner of the publishing house, which publishes works of young, seeking the recognition of authors.