1. Horse trading up by Viggo

    After devoting three years of his life to playing Aragorn in the Oscar-laden The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Viggo Mortensen was looking forward to a long rest and then taking a part in a movie that would be totally different from the Tolkien epic. The movie business rarely runs according to plan, however. Another […]
  2. Viggo Mortensen on cowboys

    Interview in a German magazine. Topics include mate ("terribly bitter"), hippies ("if you equate closeness to nature and a certain openness with being a hippie, then I was a hippie and I still am."), becoming older, riding, goat families, the truth or fiction behind Reynolds' story, and cowboys ("a cowboy is knightly").
  3. Reluctant hero riding high in the saddle

    Interview addresses Hidalgo, Viggo Mortensen's films, and his other pursuits: "As a kid, you wonder about all the adventures you are going to have and you imagine exploring the world," he says, in his soft, deliberate manner. "Most people, after a while, sort of repress that desire and instead live in a box and never attempt it but I wanted adventure, still do, and so I try a lot of things."
  4. Viggo Mortensen

    Excellent interview with Viggo Mortensen about the Hidalgo, his version of "method" acting, and how painting, writing, and fishing can take the place of resting between takes. "People talk about Method actors... The right method is whatever works for you. And what works for me on any given day is going to be different."
  5. “Rings” Star Now Changing Horses

    Is there life after The Lord of the Rings? Viggo Mortensen thinks so. Having played Aragorn, the reluctant king-to-be in all three movies, Mortensen is switching horses (literally) and genres–from fantasy to history. In his new movie, Hidalgo, Mortensen plays Frank T. Hopkins, a real-life 19th-century cowboy and endurance rider who’s invited by a sheik […]
  6. “King” star returns to the screen, riding high

    The king is fidgety. In an elegant, dimly lit ballroom in Dallas’ Adolphus Hotel, the light from a single heavily draped window illuminates Viggo Mortensen, star of multi-Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the newly released Hidalgo. But he seems more interested in chatting about his book of photographs, […]
  7. Rings’ king Viggo Mortensen talks about celebrity, the cowboy mystique and starring solo in Hidalgo

    In his broken-in gray warm-up jacket, green flannel shirt and bare feet, he looks laid-back and easy-going. He sips a thick blend of green tea from a small, egg-shaped wooden cup through a silver straw. He speaks surprisingly softly and smiles easily and frequently. But then you remember that this is the same actor who […]
  8. Viggo Mortensen, photo by Spence

    IGN FilmForce interviews Viggo Mortensen

    A laid-back interview about the pleasures of learning Elvish and Lakotah, purchasing his equine co-stars, and his new book, The Horse is Good. He talks about Uraeus ("Brego"), Kenny ("Hasufel") and T.J. ("Hidalgo") as unique individuals who became good friends. About Uraeus: "He kind of came into the movie similar to the way I did. You know, didn't have much preparation and was just thrown in and had to swim, basically. And it was rough on him and it took a while for us to kind of get in sync and for him to be comfortable around the set. So we got to be close and I wanted to stay in touch with him. And, you know, by the end he became almost a real ham. He became so good at it that he was just relaxed and happy."
  9. “Rings” actor riding horses in “Hidalgo”

    Interview about Hidalgo touches on politics and Viggo's choice of films. Excerpt: "I'm pretty long in the tooth," the 45-year-old says. "Money and fame don't seem very rewarding. Of course there is the 'iron is hot' argument. Who knows? Maybe in 10 years I'll look back and say I should have gone for the money," he adds with a grin.
  10. 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."
  11. 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.
  12. 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."
  13. sleepy Viggo Mortensen by Terry Richardson (i-D 2003)

    Viggo Mortensen (photo essay)

    A good man is hard to find: from supporting actor to rough and rugged lead, Viggo Mortensen’s newfound success represents a return to the classically masculine Hollywood hero. Here, photographer Terry Richardson presents an intimate portrait of the Lord of the Rings star at home on the ranch. Saddle up!