Article Tag: Hidalgo

View movie page for Hidalgo.

1. Interview: Viggo Mortensen for Hidalgo

   Viggo talks about Hidalgo as a story that appeals to his love of mythology and the hero's journey. "I like the big stories and the big landscapes. I guess I am interested in ordeals, whether you are in the Sahara desert or you're in New Zealand or wherever, but I also like small stories that can take place in a room, in a kitchen sink drama.... Any ordeal clears and purifies your vision of yourself and how you fit in or don't fit into the world. Those are the stories I am drawn to." Other topics include Frank Hopkins, mustangs, history, politics, and the Middle East. In other words, just a typical Viggo Mortensen interview.

2. Viggo Mortensen interview

   Standard Hidalgo interview with a nice quote from Viggo about working with Omar Sharif: "One of the great things about this experience was working with Omar; his casting was very important to the movie. It was already a good story, but him playing that part was a perfect piece of casting. It lifted the movie to another level, and personally it was a lot of fun to work closely with him and pester him for stories about making Lawrence of Arabia with David Lean and Peter O'Toole."
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   Ageless Adventure

   An article about Hidalgo from the perspective of the American cowboy heritage and horsemanship finds that the film's message is "cowboys are good guys, and what they represent can be found worldwide in men who love horses." Interviews with director Joe Fusco and horse trainer Rex Peterson describe Viggo's commitment to horsemanship.
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   Hidalgo Upholds Cowboy Image

   Descriptive review focuses on the moral depth of Hidalgo, as Frank Hopkins "chooses the narrow road and makes his motives clear to those trying to weaken his resolve or make him weak." The reviewer concludes that Hopkins embodies the best of the ideal of the American cowboy.

5. Viggo Mortensen rides back in ‘Hidalgo’

   It’s not often an actor buys his co-star. But then again, Viggo Mortensen isn’t your average actor. And come to think of it, the co-star isn’t some hot young filly—it’s a real horse. “I just fell in love with him [on the set of ‘Hidalgo’],” Mortensen says. “He doesn’t live with me [in Venice, Calif.]. […]

6. The Return of the King

   Article and interview. After the release of Hidalgo, Viggo returned to South Dakota to participate in a trail ride and speak with Native Voice about the film, Miyelo, Native American culture, and the challenges facing people today. He also talks about the cost of stardom and his commitment to his fans: "You know, for me to look each person in the eye and listen to their question and answer them, and get their name right and be respectful—that takes a certain amount of energy for complete concentration.... At the end of the day you don’t have anything left, sometimes, for yourself. You have to find ways to hide out, that's all."

7. Finding Viggo

   Extensive interview and article about Viggo's films, art, music, life. Great quotes from Dennis Hopper, Diane Lane, art dealer Robert Mann, and several others Viggo has worked with. Photographs (including cover) by Bruce Weber, plus several from his childhood.

8. Valiant effort

   The cutest guy in Middle-earth has an urge to smoke. Mumbling something about going to his car, Viggo Mortensen, the dashing human hero of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, heads out of Chez Jay, Hollywood’s favorite dive in spitting distance of the ocean. The Santa Monica place is pretty skeevy as Sunday brunch spots […]
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   The New Hollywood Male

   Extensive in-depth article on Viggo's film career, his role as Aragorn, the challenge of dealing with new-found fame, creative pursuits, his relationship with Henry, the filming of Hidalgo, and philosophy of life. Wonderful photos by Terry Richardson. Excerpt: "Throughout an hour of conversation, these themes are woven into the fabric of every thought: an open mind; humility; doing your best; a constant quest to learn and enrich your life. 'There is only one kind of actor, and that's a supporting actor,' he says, meaning that even in a lead role you are always supporting the vision of the director. 'In a movie, you're raw material, just a hue of some colour and the director makes the painting.'"