Viggo Mortensen biography
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[h3]Viggo is the eldest son of Grace and Viggo P. Mortensen. His father, who farmed in Denmark, met his mother, a New Yorker, in Norway. They married and moved to New York where Viggo Jr. was born.[/h3]

The family then moved to South America where Viggo Senior managed chicken farms and ranches in Venezuela and Argentina. Two more sons were born, Charles and Walter, before the marriage grew increasingly unhappy.

When Viggo was seven, his parents sent him off to boarding school in Argentina. Then, at the age of eleven, his parents divorced and his mother took the children to New York.

In 1976, Viggo graduated from high school and went on to St. Lawrence University in New York. After graduation, he moved to Denmark - driven by the need for a purpose in life. He began writing poetry and short stories while working in a variety of odd jobs. In 1982 he fell in love and followed his girlfriend back to New York, hoping for a long romance and a writing career. He got neither.

While in the US, Viggo found work as a waiter and began taking acting classes. Three years later, he made his film debut as a young Amish Farmer in Peter Weir's Witness. He moved to Los Angeles in 1987 and secured a part in the movie Salvation!

He later married his co-star, Exene Cervenka. The couple had a son, Henry Mortensen, before they divorced after a decade of marriage.

Mortensen's major breakthrough came in 1999 with his casting as Aragorn in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (released in 2001, 2002 and 2003). Despite some initial reluctance to leave his son, he accepted the part and immediately began work on the project. The success of the trilogy made him a household name - a difficult consequence for this introspective and private actor.

In 2004, Mortensen starred as Frank Hopkins in Hidalgo, the story of an ex-army courier who travels to Arabia to compete with his horse, Hidalgo, in a dangerous race for a massive contest prize.

A year later, he appeared in David Cronenberg's A History of Violence. He was nominated for a Satellite Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for this role. This was followed in 2006, by the role of Captain Diego Alatriste in Alatriste, the most expensive Spanish-language film ever made.

He collaborated with Cronenburg again in the movie Eastern Promises (2007), when he played the role of a scheming Russian gangster in London. Viggo’s role earned him the accolade of Best Performance by an Actor at the British Independent Film Awards. He was also nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Actor category.
Viggo Mortensen biography



- With part of his earnings from The Lord of the Rings, he founded the Perceval Press publishing house — named for the knight from the legend of King Arthur — to help other artists.

- Mortensen is fluent in English, Danish, and Spanish, and conversant in Norwegian. He also speaks French, Italian, and Swedish.

- He is affectionately known as "Chooba" by many of his closest peers, the name having originated during his role as a wheelchair-ridden snitch in Carlito's Way.
Viggo Mortensen biography



Appaloosa (2007) - Everett Hitch

Eastern Promises (2007) - Nickolai Luzhin

Alatriste (2006) - Diego Alatriste y Tenorio

A History of Violence (2005) - Tom Stall

Hidalgo (2004) - Frank Hopkins

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - Aragorn

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) - Aragorn

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - Aragorn

28 Days (2000) - Eddie Boone

A Walk on the Moon (1999) - Walker Jerome

Psycho (1998) - Samuel 'Sam' Loomis

A Perfect Murder (1998) - David Shaw

Pistola de mi hermano, La (1997) - Juanito

G.I. Jane (1997) - Master Chief John James 'Jack' Urgayle

Vanishing Point (1997) (TV) - Jimmy Kowalski

Daylight (1996) - Roy Nord

Albino Alligator (1996) - Guy Foucard


The Portrait of a Lady (1996) - Caspar Goodwood

The Prophecy (1995) - Lucifer

Black Velvet Pantsuit (1995) - Worthless Junkie

The Passion of Darkly Noon (1995) - Clay

Crimson Tide (1995) - Lt. Peter 'WEAPS' Ince

Gimlet (1995) - Hombre (Man)

The Crew (1994) – Phillip

Floundering (1994) - Homeless Man

American Yakuza (1993) - Nick Davis/David Brandt

The Young Americans (1993) - Carl Frazer

Carlito's Way (1993) - Lalin

Ruby Cairo (1993) - John E. 'Johnny' Faro

Boiling Point (1993) – Ronnie

The Indian Runner (1991) - Frank Roberts

The Reflecting Skin (1990) - Cameron Dove

Young Guns II (1990) - John W. Poe

Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) – Tex

Tripwire (1990) – Hans

Once in a Blue Moon (1990) (TV)

Fresh Horses (1988) - Green

Prison (1988) - Burke/Forsythe Electrocution

Salvation! (1987) - Jerome Stample

"Miami Vice" - Eddie Trumbull (1 episode, 1987)

Witness (1985) - Moses Hochleitner
Viggo Mortensen biography

THE ROLE THAT CHANGED MY LIFE: I Wanted To Direct Sat 6th Sep - 4:30PM

Clash of the Choirs 1 Sat 6th Sep - 9:00PM

Queen Elizabeth: Continuity & Change Sat 6th Sep - 5:00PM