ACTOR · BORN 1958
Viggo Mortensen
- Born
- 20 October 1958, Watertown, New York, USA
- Known for
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), Green Book (2018), Appaloosa (2008), 28 Days (2000)
30 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Viggo Mortensen (born 20 October 1958) is an actor best known for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Green Book and Appaloosa.
Viggo Mortensen over the years
30 Interesting Facts About Viggo Mortensen
Interesting Facts (16)
- #001
After filming wrapped, Viggo Mortensen bought the horses he rode in both The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Hidalgo (2004). This reflects his devotion to animals and the strong bonds he formed on set. Mortensen had spent long periods with these horses and had grown deeply fond of them.
Viggo Mortensen: a sceneImage: Wikimedia Commons · Joost Pauwels, CC0 - #002
He immersed himself so deeply in the character of Aragorn that director Peter Jackson once addressed him as Aragorn for more than half an hour and Mortensen did not even notice. The incident shows how completely he merged with the role and his commitment to his character. This kind of dedication was an important factor in the credibility of his performance.
- #003
While working on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mortensen asked writer-director Peter Jackson to revise the scripts so that his character Aragorn could speak Elvish in several scenes across the three films. This shows the importance he placed on language knowledge and character depth. As a result, Aragorn's connection to Elven culture was strengthened further.
Viggo Mortensen: behind the scenesImage: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 - #004
At the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, he worked as a translator for the Swedish hockey team and was present at the historic meeting between the Soviet Union and the United States known as the 'Miracle Match'. This experience allowed him to be in an international environment at a young age and to use his language skills. It is just one of the extraordinary experiences of his life.
- #005
Mortensen could not take part in the pre-shoot stunt and sword training given to the actors in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, because he had been cast as a replacement only two days before filming began. Yet at the end of shooting, the film's legendary sword master Bob Anderson said Mortensen was the best swordsman he had ever trained. This shows his innate talent and his capacity for rapid learning.
- #006
Elijah Wood said of him: 'Everyone talks about how honest and intelligent he is. And that's true. He's also completely crazy.' This comment sums up both Mortensen's seriousness and his energetic, unusual personality on set. Wood's words show the impression he left on his colleagues.
- #007
During the filming of The Lord of the Rings films, he wore a Montreal Canadiens jersey under his costume. This shows his passion for the ice hockey team and how he brought that passion into his work. The detail is an interesting example of how his personal interests influenced his behaviour on set.
- #008
Viggo Mortensen's The Lord of the Rings co-star Billy Boyd described him as "crazy like a fish." The humorous phrase sums up Mortensen's energetic and unconventional personality on set. Boyd's remark shows the impression he left on his colleagues.
- #009
Before shooting Eastern Promises (2007), Mortensen spent several weeks in Russia to research the role and better understand his character. This shows how seriously he approaches role preparation and how deeply he researches to make a character more realistic. The experience added great depth to his performance.
- #010
In an interview, Mortensen admitted that when he first started acting, his managers encouraged him to change his name to "Vic Morten," but he refused. This shows his attachment to his identity and origins. The decision reflects his determination to preserve his authenticity.
- #011
Viggo Mortensen is a big fan of the New York Mets and the Montreal Canadiens. While filming A History of Violence (2005), he appeared on the Toronto set wearing a Canadiens jersey. This shows his commitment to his sports teams and how he brought that passion into the set environment.
- #012
Viggo Mortensen turned down an offer to return as Aragorn in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The decision shows that he had closed the Lord of the Rings story and wanted to focus on new projects. Although the refusal disappointed fans, it underscores his independence in his career.
- #013
Viggo Mortensen was cut from his first two films (Swing Shift (1984) and The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)) by the producers without his knowledge. He had encouraged his family to see them in theaters, but was told that his scenes were not in the film and that he did not appear in the credits. Mortensen's mother worried that he had been caught up in New York's crack epidemic and was lying about his lifestyle. The incident shows the difficulties at the start of his career and his family's concerns.
- #014
Quentin Tarantino offered Viggo Mortensen the role of Jody Domergue in The Hateful Eight (2015), but he had to turn it down because of a scheduling conflict. The refusal reflects his priorities and the timing difficulties in his career.
- #015
On 11 August 2009, Viggo Mortensen presented a book on Argentine poetry published by Perceval Press at the Spanish Cultural Center in Buenos Aires, and afterwards signed books together with prominent poets. The event reflects his interest in literature and Argentine culture.
- #016
For the 2007 film Eastern Promises, Olegar Fedoro worked with Viggo Mortensen to help him speak Russian and Ukrainian dialects correctly. Fedoro played a critical role in helping the actor reflect the cultural and linguistic texture of his character's background. This collaboration brought authenticity to Mortensen's performance and contributed significantly to the film's realistic atmosphere.
Behind the Scenes (3)
- #017
A skilled rider, Mortensen performed all his own stunts in Hidalgo (2004), including a dangerous bareback ride that even a stunt double could not handle. This proves his physical courage and his extraordinary rapport with horses. These scenes contributed greatly to the film's realism.
- #018
Mortensen became very good friends with the stunt team on The Lord of the Rings films, but they were wary of doing fight scenes with him, because he would often get caught up in Aragorn's intensity and 'really attack them', leaving the other fighters covered in bruises. The large-framed actor Lawrence Makoare, who played Lurtz under tons of makeup that restricted his vision, also got carried away in the fight scene at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, which heightened the tension and excitement on set. These incidents are an indication of Mortensen's passion for his role and his physical intensity.
- #019
In the 1988 horror thriller 'Prison', he performed all his own stunts. Stunt coordinator Kane Hodder even gave him a 'Stunt Team' T-shirt after filming ended. This shows that he proved his physical courage and his talent in action scenes early on.
Characters & Cast (1)
- #020
Viggo Mortensen stated that he drew inspiration from Russian hockey player Alexei Kovalev for part of his performance in Eastern Promises (2007). This shows how he draws on the world of sports when creating a character. The inspiration added a distinctive energy to his performance.
Career & Awards (3)
- #021
Viggo Mortensen got the scar on his upper lip when he scraped his face on a barbed-wire fence at a Halloween party. The scar became part of his characteristic appearance. The incident shows how even unexpected accidents in his daily life have carried over into his career.
- #022
Viggo Mortensen shot scenes for The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), but all of them were cut. It was one of the disappointments he faced early in his career, testing his patience and perseverance before he went on to major successes in later years.
- #023
Viggo Mortensen met his former wife Exene Cervenka on the set of Salvation! (1987). The meeting was an important turning point in his personal life and led to their marriage.
Life & Family (7)
- #024
While shooting The Lord of the Rings trilogy in New Zealand, Mortensen liked to surf with the other actors in his free time. One day an accident left him with a bruise on the right side of his face, so director Peter Jackson had to shoot only his left profile throughout the Moria sequence. The incident is an interesting example of how close friendships on set and unexpected accidents can affect a film's visuals.
- #025
In the film A Perfect Murder (1998), Mortensen actually painted the large murals in the artist's studio himself. This reveals his painting ability and his passion for art. Mortensen is not limited to acting and is also actively productive in the visual arts.
- #026
A skilled rider in his free time, Mortensen asked that his Lord of the Rings character Aragorn be given more time on horseback than was written in the script. He also kept his on-screen horse near him throughout the main shooting schedule, so that he could ride in his spare hours and strengthen his relationship with the animal. This shows his commitment to his character and to horses.
- #027
Before he became known, Mortensen printed a poetry collection titled Ten Last Night. This shows that his literary side emerged early and that his passion for art existed before his acting. The book matters as part of his creative identity.
- #028
Mortensen has been taking photographs for years; he recently made his debut with an exhibition at the Robert Mann Gallery in NYC. This shows his talent in the visual arts and his passion for photography. The exhibition reveals another dimension of his artistic expression.
- #029
On 4 December 2009, at the Montréal Canadiens' centenary celebration at the Bell Centre, Viggo Mortensen, a longtime Canadiens fan, came out in a red Habs jersey and introduced Guy Lafleur, whom he called "my hero of all time," in French. It was a special moment that brought together his passion for the hockey team and his French-language skill. The event allowed him to express his admiration in public.
- #030
Because Viggo Mortensen lived in Argentina as a child, he is a fan of the Argentine football team San Lorenzo (the club's full name: 'San Lorenzo de Almagro,' from 'Buenos Aires City'). Mortensen often wears clothing and accessories in the team's colors (red and blue); most recently at the Rome Festival, at the premiere of 'Alatriste.' This shows his attachment to his childhood memories and to Argentine culture.
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- Christoph Waltz — Viggo Mortensen comes up in the facts on that page
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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