Viggo Peter Mortensen, Jr. (born October 20, 1958) is an American-Danish theater and movie actor, poet, musician, photographer and painter. He may be best known for his role as Aragorn in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Mortensen was born in New York. His Danish father, Viggo Peter Mortensen (a farm manager), and American mother, Grace Gamble Atkinson, met in Norway. His maternal grandfather was Canadian. When he was two years old he moved with his family to Argentina and lived there until age eleven, when his parents divorced and his mother moved back to New York, and Viggo moved with his father to Copenhagen, Denmark. Viggo and his father eventually went back to the United States, and Viggo finished High School at Watertown High School. After that, he moved back to Denmark, and became a truckdriver in Esbjerg, Denmark, before, again, eventually moving back to to the United States to pursue an acting career. He attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York...
Created by dipity on Jan 24, 2008
Last updated: 03/06/10 at 04:20 AM
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Eastern Promises is a 2007 drama and thriller feature film directed by David Cronenberg. The screenplay is by Steve Knight, whose previous credits include Stephen Frears' Dirty Pretty Things. Release is scheduled for September 14, 2007.
The new thriller reteaming acclaimed director David Cronenberg with his A History of Violence leading man Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises is written by Steve Knight (Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of Dirty Pretty Things). As in the earlier film, director and star together explore the psyche, physicality, and fortunes of a man whose true nature may never be wholly revealed. The mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin (Mr. Mortensen) is a driver for one of London’s most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. The family itself is part of the Vory V Zakone criminal brotherhood. Headed by Semyon (Academy Award nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl), whose courtly charm as the welcoming proprietor of the plush Trans...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765443
Alatriste is a film directed by Spanish director Agustín Díaz Yanes, based on the main character of a series of novels written by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, The Adventures of Captain Alatriste (Las aventuras del Capitán Alatriste).
The film, which stars Viggo Mortensen, is the most expensive Spanish-language film ever made in Spain (about €24 million – US$30 million). It portrays Spain of the 17th century using both fictional and real characters. Twentieth Century Fox has bought the rights to the film.
Antonio Resines, originally slated to appear as Saldaña, almost retired from the entire movie due to a traffic accident; however, he makes a cameo appearance in the Battle of Rocroi as a musketeer officer.
The film was released on September 1, 2006.
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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395119
A History of Violence is 2005 film, directed by David Cronenberg. It is based on the graphic novel of the same name by John Wagner and Vince Locke. It stars Viggo Mortensen as the owner of a diner who is thrust into the spotlight after killing two robbers in self-defense. Most of the film was shot in Millbrook, Ontario, Canada. The film was put into limited release in the United States on September 23, 2005 and wide-release on September 30, 2005. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for William Hurt and Best Adapted Screenplay. It has the distinction of being the final major Hollywood motion picture released on VHS.Tom Stall is a local restaurant owner in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana, who lives in harmony with his wife Edie, teenage son Jack, and daughter Sarah. He becomes a local hero when he defends himself, his customers, and his staff from armed robbers, killing them in the process. After the story receives national attention, several members...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399146
Hidalgo is a 2004 film based on the life and tales of former horse rider Frank Hopkins and his endurance horse Hidalgo, a mustang. The movie was written by John Fusco and directed by Joe Johnston. It stars Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson and Omar Sharif.
Held annually for centuries, the Ocean of Fire-a 3000-mile survival race across the Arabian desert--was a challenge restricted to the finest Arabian horses ever bred of the purest and noblest lines and owned by the greatest royal families. In 1890, a wealthy sheikh invited an American, Frank T. Hopkins, and his mustang horse to enter the race for the first time. During the course of his career, Hopkins had been a cowboy and dispatch rider for the United States of America (U.S.) government. In this capacity he had carried a message to the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment, authorizing what became the Wounded Knee Massacre. Currently working as a stunt rider in Buffalo Bill's Wild West shows, Hopkins is advertised as the greatest rider the...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317648
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is an epic fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson. It is primarily based on the third volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (but also includes material from the second volume), and it is the concluding film in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. It follows The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers and was filmed simultaneously with them.As Sauron launches the final stages of his conquest of Middle-earth, Gandalf the Wizard and Théoden King of Rohan step up their forces to help defend Gondor's capital Minas Tirith from this threat. Aragorn must finally take up the throne of Gondor and summons an army of ghosts to help him defeat Sauron. Ultimately, even with full strength of arms, they find they cannot win; it comes down to the Hobbits Frodo and Sam to destroy the One Ring in Mordor, who themselves face the burden of the Ring and the treachery of Gollum.Released on December 17, 2003, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a fantasy epic film, directed by Peter Jackson and based on the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's book The Lord of the Rings. It was released on December 18, 2002, with a running time of 179 minutes.
Continuing the plot of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, it intercuts three storylines, as Frodo and Sam continue their quest to destroy the One Ring in Mordor and meet Gollum, its former owner. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli come across the war torn nation of Rohan as well as the resurrected Gandalf, before fighting at the Battle of Helm's Deep, whilst Merry and Pippin escape capture and meet Treebeard, the tree-like giant.
The movie was critically acclaimed, although the adaptation was more controversial than the first film. It was an enormous box-office success, earning over $900 million worldwide, outgrossing its predecessor, and is currently the 6th-highest-grossing film of all time. The Special Extended DVD Edition was...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167261
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson. It is the opening installment of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, based on the similarly titled first volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's epic literary fantasy, The Lord of the Rings. Jackson began the project in 1995 as a two-part adaptation of Tolkien's work. Over the next six years, it expanded to three films shot across a 15-month period in New Zealand. Amongst fans, the title is often abbreviated as "FotR".The Dark Lord Sauron is seeking the One Ring, which he can use to conquer Middle-earth. The Ring has found its way to the young hobbit Frodo Baggins, who must destroy it in order to defeat Sauron and his forces. The fate of Middle-Earth hangs in the balance as Frodo and eight companions form the Fellowship of the Ring. So begins a journey to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor; this is the only place the Ring can be destroyed.
Released on December 19, 2001, the film was highly...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120737
28 Days is a 2000 drama film starring Sandra Bullock.
Sandra Bullock plays Gwen Cummings, a newspaper columnist obliged to enter rehabilitation for a drinking problem.
Because of the subject matter, and how it goes well in depth about alcoholism, the movie is commonly screened in health classes in public schools.
Sandra Bullock spent a few days at Sierra Tucson preparing for her role in 28 Days.
The film's supporting cast includes singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, who contributes four songs to the soundtrack.
Tagline: The Life of the Party... before she got a life.After getting into a car accident while drunk on the day of her sister's wedding, Gwen Cummings is given a choice between jail or a rehab center. She chooses rehab, but is extremely resistant to taking part in any of the treatment programs they have to offer, refusing to admit that she has an alcohol addiction. After getting to know some of the other patients, Gwen gradually begins to re-examine her life and see that...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0191754
A Perfect Murder is a 1998 thriller film, made by Kopelson Entertainment and Warner Bros.. It was directed by Andrew Davis and starred Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. It is a remake of the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film Dial M for Murder, though the characters of Halliday and Lesgate are combined. The screenplay was by Patrick Smith Kelly based on the play by Frederick Knott.
Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas) is a Wall Street banker who has risen a long way to achieve his riches. His successful investments and speculations allow him to live an extravagant upper-class lifestyle with his wife, Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow). Emily seems like a devoted, faithful wife, but in reality, she has an affair with a penniless painter, David (Viggo Mortensen). Although she thinks herself safe, Steve knows everything about the affair, and has also been able to uncover the painter’s dark past. One day he pays the artist a visit and confronts him with knowledge about the affair and the fact...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120787
Psycho is a 1998 film remake of the Alfred Hitchcock 1960 version produced and directed by Gus Van Sant for Universal Pictures. Both films are based on the novel Psycho by Robert Bloch, which were in turn inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein. The film's tagline is: "A recreation of the nightmare that started it all..."
Although this version is in color and features a different cast, it is nearly a shot for shot remake that copies Hitchcock's camera movements and editing. A few changes are introduced to account for advancements in technology since the original film and to make the content more explicit. Murder sequences are also intercut with surreal dream images. For a complete plot summary, and discussion of major elements, see the article regarding the 1960 version.
Anne Heche plays Marion Crane, with Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates, William H. Macy as Milton Arbogast, Viggo Mortensen as Sam Loomis, and Julianne Moore as Lila Crane. Small roles go to Robert Forster...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0155975
G.I. Jane is an 1997 action movie that tells the story of the first woman to undergo Special Forces training. Contrary to popular thought, this is not SEAL (Sea, Air, and Land) training. In the movie, the class is for a fictionalized Combined Reconnaissance Team, or CRT. Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil (played by Demi Moore) is hand-picked by a U.S. Senator Lillian DeHaven (Anne Bancroft) to go through the rigorous training right along with the men. Jordan O'Neil faces sexism and physical challenges as well as the horse-trading by the Senator who selected her for the experimental program.The film begins with the public interview, by the House Armed Services Committee, of a candidate for the position of Secretary of the Navy. Congresswoman Latham from Texas criticizes the fact that the Navy is not gender-neutral. Behind the curtains, a deal is struck: If women compare favourably with men in a series of test cases, the military will integrate women fully into all branches of the Navy. The...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119173
Daylight is a 1996 action film, starring Sylvester Stallone, Amy Brenneman, Dan Hedaya, and Danielle Harris. It was directed by Rob Cohen and released in theaters on December 6, 1996.The story begins after a waste management firm in upstate NY tries to illegally dispose of toxic waste. They load the chemicals on three trucks bound for New Jersey. That same night, a crew of diamond thieves steal a shipment of stones, and a black Cadillac. They are pursued by NYPD, but they elude the cops by heading to the 'Tunnel to New Jersey'. At the same time, the trucks loaded with toxic waste are making their way into the tunnel. The thieves push their way past the traffic entering the tunnel, causing mass vehicular chaos as they make their way through the north tube. As they shove their way past taxicabs, pickups, and other trucks, one of the thieves drops the diamonds all over the car. She reaches down to get the diamonds, but puts the gas pedal to the floor. The Cadillac accelerates wildly, and...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116040
The Prophecy is a 1995 horror film starring Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Christopher Walken, Eric Stoltz, and Viggo Mortensen. It was written and directed by Gregory Widen, and was followed by four sequels. The film tells the story of the Archangel Gabriel and his search for an evil soul on Earth, and a police detective who unknowingly becomes caught in the middle of an angelic war.
The film opens with a brief prologue in a desert where Simon, an angel, stands over the skeleton of another angel. In voiceover, he reveals that a war has broken out in Heaven and the angelic host is divided, much like in the first angelic war in which Satan was cast out of heaven. The introduction of Thomas Daggett follows, as he is about to be ordained as a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, but is stricken by horrific visions of angels engaging in war against each other. Several years later, Thomas, having lost his faith and abandoned the church, is now a detective with the LAPD.
Arriving at his...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114194
The Passion of Darkly Noon is a 1995 film written and directed by Philip Ridley, starring Brendan Fraser in the title role, and co-starring Ashley Judd and Viggo Mortensen. The film tells the story of a young man named Darkly Noon (Fraser), whose family was a member of an ultraconservative Christian cult. After a violent altercation that resulted in the dissolution of the cult and the death of Darkly's parents, Darkly wanders into a forest in an unnamed locale and is rescued from exhaustion by a coffin transporter named Jude (Loren Dean) and his friend Callie (Ashley Judd). Callie nurses Darkly back to health, but Darkly is frustrated by the conflict between his religious past and his attraction to his new companion. Things only get more intense with the return of Clay (Viggo Mortensen), her mute boyfriend who builds the coffins Jude sells. When Darkly encounters a mysterious woman named Roxy (Grace Zabriskie), his internal conflicts grow even stronger. Roxy claims that Callie is a...,
Carlito's Way is a 1993 gangster film based on the novels Carlito's Way and After Hours by Judge Edwin Torres. The film adaptation was scripted by David Koepp and directed by Brian De Palma. It stars Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo, Jorge Porcel and Viggo Mortensen. The movie's title song, "You Are So Beautiful", was performed by Joe Cocker.
The two novels on which the film are based follow the exploits of Carlito Brigante, a fictional Puerto Rican drug dealer and hustler, who goes to prison and struggles to go straight after his release. The 1993 film is based on After Hours (it used the title of the first novel to avoid being confused with Martin Scorsese's 1985 film After Hours) and focuses on Carlito's endeavours once he is released from prison with the help of his lawyer.
1975. The film begins as an apparently wounded Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino) is being wheeled away on an ambulance gurney. As a wheel becomes stuck in a crack in the pavement, the...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106519
For other uses, see Reflecting skin (disambiguation).The Reflecting Skin is a surreal 1990 film about a young child growing up in rural Idaho in the 1950s. The movie is directed by Philip Ridley, and features Viggo Mortensen and Lindsay Duncan.
The film weaves elements of the grotesque, vampirism, child sexual abuse, and religious zealotry throughout its narrative about the perceptions and fantasies of an impressionable pre-adolescent boy and his friends.
At the 1990 Locarno International Film Festival, Ridley won three awards, C.I.C.A.E. Award, the FIPRESCI Prize, and Silver Leopard. At the 1990 "Sitges" Catalonian International Film Festival, Lindsay Duncan won the Best Actress award and Dick Pope the award for Best Cinematography. At the 1990 Stockholm Film Festival, Ridley received the FIPRESCI Prize.
The film creates an eerie tone by placing the vast majority of its action outdoors around the delapitated farms and in the cornfields of Idaho (actually shot in Canada locations)...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100469
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III is a 1990 sequel to the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).
It stars Kate Hodge, Ken Foree, William Butler, and a then-unknown Viggo Mortensen. It was directed by Jeff Burr.
At the time this was considered to be the first of several sequels in the series to be produced by New Line. However, it was not a success and the franchise was scrapped (although an additional sequel appeared later it was not made or distributed by New Line).
Michelle (Kate Hodge) and Ryan (William Butler) are on a cross country trip from California to Florida, returning a car. However the trip takes a terrifying turn as the pair witness a series of bizarre events. Firstly, in the darkness of night, the pair get held up by traffic, due to the grisly discovery of corpses nearby. Then, stopping off for gas at a gas station, they experience a crazed man shoot a cowboy, who advises them on what road to take. Soon after a road collision they are stranded in the...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099994
Viggo Mortensen was born
Prison is a 1988 horror film starring Viggo Mortensen. It was filmed at the Old State Prison in Rawlins, Wyoming with many of its residents on the cast and crew.
In 1956, inmate Charlie Forsythe swallowed 60,000 volts of electricity for a murder he didn't commit.
When Creedmore Prison is reopened after thirty years, it has not been standing empty. Charlie Forsythe is back - still charged with electric heat. Waiting for Eaton Sharpe (Lane Smith) - the man who stood by as Forsythe rode the electric chair.
Forsythe quickly makes up for lost time as his vengeance rises to a fever pitch of violent fury. Burke (Viggo Mortensen) and the others inmates soon realize that they will all be slaughtered unless Forsythe is allowed to repay his long-standing debt. With the lives of Creedmore in the balance, Sharpe and Forsythe are finally brought face-to-rotting-face in a duel that will pit Forsythe's supernatural rage against Sharpe's blood-thirsty instinct for survival.
The film was released in...,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095904
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