Viggo Mortensen

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    Viggo Mortensen Kept Close Lid on Funding Issue During 'Falling' Production

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    WENN/Adriana M. Barraza

    During a chat on the ‘Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard’ podcast, the ‘Lord of the Rings’ actor opens up about having just enough money to cover two weeks of filming for his directorial debut.

    Feb 24, 2021
    AceShowbiz – Viggo Mortensen kept the cast and crew of his directorial debut “Falling” in the dark about funding issues after starting production with just enough money to cover two weeks of filming.
    “The Lord of the Rings” actor stars in and directs the new drama, about a man learning to live with his ageing father as he battles dementia, and he reveals no one, apart from his fellow producers, knew that funding was so tight when they started the shoot.
    “Falling took me two, three times [of pitching] really to finally get enough money,” he shared on the “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard” podcast.
    “When it came right down to it, I’d hoped for a seven week shoot, I ended up with five, and we started shooting knowing – or I knew, I didn’t tell the actors – that we had enough [money] for two weeks and we were gonna keep looking. You know, typical thing in movies.”
    Luckily, the rest of the funding came through just as the existing finances were running out.

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    “Two weeks in, my co-producer came over to me and said…, ‘You can finish the movie… You can finish shooting’,” he recalled.
    “I said, ‘Of course I’m gonna finish shooting…, it’s going really well’. He goes, ‘No, no, you have the money’, and I go, ‘Oh, oh!’ I’d completely forgot. But sometimes you have to just go for it.”
    Mortensen, who also wrote the screenplay for “Falling”, admits he had been yearning to make his own movies for years, but they were never picked up.
    “It wasn’t for lack of trying,” he admitted of waiting to make his directorial debut. “First time I think I tried to get a movie made that I wanted to direct from a screenplay I’d written once; it was about 25 years ago. I’ve tried many times with different screenplays I’ve written over the years.”

    “Falling” also co-stars Laura Linney, Lance Henriksen, and Sverrir Gudnason.

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      in Television

      Viggo Mortensen Would Love to Return as Aragorn for 'The Lord of the Rings' TV Series

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      New Line Cinema

      The ‘Crimson Tide’ actor is keen to return to the J.R.R. Tolkien universe and reprise his role as King Aragorn in the upcoming television adaptation of the classic story.

      Feb 17, 2021
      AceShowbiz – Viggo Mortensen would be up for a return to “The Lord of the Rings”.
      The 62-year-old actor played Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s fantasy trilogy based on J.R.R Tolkien’s novel and admits that he would be keen on a return to the franchise – which is being adapted for a new TV series.
      Asked if he would consider coming back to “the Lord of the Rings”, Viggo said, “Yeah, why not? Tolkien, that’s a universe. There are so many influences. The foundation of his stories is Celtic mythology and history, and Nordic mythology and history, and languages. That’s fascinating.”
      The “Green Book” star admits that he doesn’t know much about the Amazon TV series but is looking forward to seeing the finished project.

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      Viggo told the website Collider, “There are endless amounts of things you can learn and have fun adapting to the big screen or the little screen.”
      “I don’t know much about what they’re doing. I know there’s shooting in New Zealand, so I assume they’re taking advantage of the people there that have gone through it, especially Peter Jackson and his team.
      “I know it’s (J.A.) Bayona who’s shooting it, and he’s a very good director. That’s all I know. I don’t even know who’s in it. I don’t know what angle they’re taking on Tolkien, or what the Tolkien estate is allowing them to shoot. I don’t even know. I don’t know anything about it, but I’m looking forward to seeing it.”
      Viggo recently explained how turned down the chance to play Wolverine in the “X-Men” movies as he didn’t want to commit to the part in “endless” sequels.
      He said, “The thing that bothered me at the time was just the commitment of endless movies of the same character over and over. I was nervous about that.”

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      in Movies

      Viggo Mortensen Spills How Son's Comment About 'X-Men' Script Convinced Him to Turn Down Wolverine

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      WENN/Adriana M. Barraza

      During a chat on ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast, the ‘Lord of the Rings’ star opens up about his meeting with director Bryan Singer to talk about him taking on the mutant role.

      Feb 10, 2021
      AceShowbiz – “Lord of the Rings” star Viggo Mortensen turned down the chance to play Wolverine in the “X-Men” movies, because he didn’t want to be attached to one character for a decade.
      Mortensen famously met with director Bryan Singer about taking on the role in 2000’s “X-Men”, but admits he came away convinced signing on for multiple movies would be a bad idea.
      “The thing that bothered me at the time was just the commitment of endless movies of that same character over and over,” he told the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast. “I was nervous about that.”
      And Viggo’s comic book-loving son, Henry, helped him make his decision, “I did take Henry to the meeting I had with the director as my sort of good luck charm and guide. In the back of my mind I was thinking he could learn something too, because I did let Henry read the script and he goes, ‘This is wrong, that’s not how it is’.”

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      Mortensen reveals Singer went out of his way to explain why he was leaving certain things out of the movie, “The rest of the meeting was him explaining in detail to Henry why he was taking certain liberties.”
      And he thinks Henry’s input might have helped in a small way, “There were some things… I mean they straightened most of them out.”
      Viggo has no regrets about passing on the role, because Hugh Jackman picked up the part of Wolverine and the “Eastern Promises” star cannot imagine anyone else doing it better.
      “I think he did great,” he says. “I’m sure no one could imagine anyone doing it better than he did anyway.”
      Jackman played Wolverine in nine movies over 17 years before retiring as the character after 2017’s “Logan”.

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      in Movies

      Viggo Mortensen Slams 'Unreasonable' Criticisms of His Oscar-Winning Movie 'Green Book'

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      Universal Pictures

      The ‘Crimson Tide’ actor hits back at those criticizing his Oscar-winning movie for portraying a stereotypical ‘white savior’ narrative, describing the criticisms as ‘inaccurate, mendacious, and irresponsible.’

      Dec 8, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Viggo Mortensen has slammed the criticism of his movie “Green Book”, admitting negative comments are “hurtful and destructive.”
      The Danish-American actor starred as Mahershala Ali’s driver in the film, which took home the Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor prizes at the 2019 Oscars.

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      However, while the film received critical acclaim, it was also criticised by many – including the living relatives of Black pianist Don Shirley, played by Ali in the movie – for portraying a stereotypical “white savior” narrative, a cinematic trope which often appears in American cinema, wherein a white protagonist is portrayed as a messianic figure who often learns something about him or herself in the course of rescuing non-white characters from their plight.
      Mortensen opened up about the backlash in an interview with Britain’s The Independent newspaper, as he said, “Much of the criticism that was levelled at that movie was not only unreasonable, but it was inaccurate, mendacious, and irresponsible. It’s based on a load of bulls**t and an axe to grind and little else. Does it affect what I’m doing, or how people perceive me as an actor? Maybe it does. But I can’t really do anything about that.”
      He also takes issue with the “cliche” description of criticism of the film, adding, “It’s become a cliche to say, ‘Is this movie going to be the Green Book of this year?’ Green Book has become a pejorative.”

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      in Movies

      Viggo Mortensen Says 'Maybe I'm Not Completely Straight' as He Defends Playing Gay Man in New Movie

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      WENN

      The ‘Captain Fantastic’ actor says his sexuality is ‘none of your business’ when he’s asked about the controversy about straight actors playing gay roles onscreen.

      Dec 3, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Viggo Mortensen has defended playing a gay man in his new film “Falling”, insisting it’s “none of your business” whether or not he’s “completely straight.”
      The 62-year-old stars as John in the movie, who invites his conservative, dementia-suffering father to live with him and his husband, played by Terry Chen.
      In an interview with The Times about his role in the film, Mortensen was asked about the recent controversy surrounding straight actors taking on gay roles, and he replied, “Look, these are the times we’re living in, and I think it’s healthy that those issues are brought up. The short answer is that I didn’t think it was a problem. And people then ask me, ‘Well what about Terry Chen, who plays my husband in the film, is he a homosexual?’ ”

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      “And the answer is I don’t know, and I would never have the temerity to ask someone if they were, during the casting process. And how do you know what my life is? You’re assuming that I’m completely straight. Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. And it’s frankly none of your business.”
      He concluded, “I want my movie to work, and I want the character of John to be effective. So if I didn’t think it was a good idea, I wouldn’t do it.”
      “Falling” is due for release in cinemas on Friday (04Dec20).
      The movie was based on the actor’s own experience of caring for his parents who battled dementia. He hoped to change how people see dementia sufferers. “Even in the best movies about dementia we’re looking at someone who’s confused,” he said. “And in my experience those who are confused are the observers.”

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      in Movies

      Viggo Mortensen Hopes to Change Views of Dementia With New Movie After Caring for Parents

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      HanWay Films

      The ‘Crimson Tide’ actor is keen to bust the myths about dementia after having an up close experience while caring for his mother and father during their battle with the illness.

      Nov 29, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Viggo Mortensen wants his directorial debut “Falling” to change views of dementia after seeing the neurodegenerative condition up close while caring for his parents.
      The “Lord of the Rings” actor, 62, directs and stars in Falling, which follows a gay man who looks after his sick father, Willis, in old age.
      It’s an incredibly personal project for the star as his mother, Grace, died in 2015 after battling dementia, while his dad, Viggo, Sr., passed away two years later after a similar fight.
      “I’ve had experience with dementia up close,” Mortensen tells British newspaper The Times. “I’ve had it with both my parents, and my grandparents, and my stepfather. And with my parents, it was in a care-giving role, where it was daily, hourly, by the minute.”

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      Describing what drew him to make the movie, Viggo says cinema has largely misrepresented the topic and wants to change how people see dementia sufferers.
      “Even in the best movies about dementia we’re looking at someone who’s confused,” he explains. “And in my experience those who are confused are the observers. Generally speaking, the person who has dementia is not confused unless you correct them.”
      “Which is almost always a mistake. Don’t tell them that the person they’re talking about happily actually died 20 years ago! For what? They die again for them!”
      “And if they are still in that in-between stage, where they can come in and out of it, they realise that they’ve said something stupid and feel doubly bad. You have to examine why you have the need to correct them. It’s for yourself, because you want that person to be what they were. I wanted the film to show the present from the point of view of Willis. And I think we achieved that.”
      “Falling” is in cinemas from 4 December (20).

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      Viggo Mortensen Pays Homage to Peter Jackson in Directorial Debut's Credits

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      WENN/Joe Alvarez

      Two decades after working with the revered New Zealand director, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ star steps behind the lens for ‘Falling’ and claims to have learned so much from the J.R.R. Tolkien adaptation.
      Sep 26, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Viggo Mortensen paid tribute to Peter Jackson’s influence on him as a filmmaker by including him in the credits of his directorial debut.
      “The Lord of the Rings” actor steps behind the camera for Falling, two decades after he worked with the revered New Zealand director on his epic three-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel.
      Speaking at a press conference at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival, where he is being honoured for his career on Friday, September 25, Viggo revealed he learned so much working on “The Lord of the Rings”, he has thanked Peter in the credits to his new movie “Falling”.
      “At that time New Zealand had a strong cinema history, but not making films like that,” he explained, according to Variety. “And perhaps nowhere in the world had a director confronted so many challenges. But he solved all the problems.”

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      “It was like film school. We shot for a year and a half and then a bit more later and it was incredible to see how that crew and cast of learners turned into experts in so many things.”
      Viggo went on to say he hadn’t planned to star in his new film, about a gay man’s relationship with his conservative father, but did so to get it financed.
      “It wasn’t my idea to act initially, but it was necessary to finance the film,” he said. “But, we prepared so well early on that I knew what we were going do with the director of photography and the art director every day.”
      “I was a bit more tired doing both, but because of our preparation I could pay attention to what was going on in a scene and put my trust into my cast and crew while focusing on my role.”
      “Falling” is set to hit cinemas in December.

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      in Movies

      'Green Book' Director to Reunite With Viggo Mortensen for True-Story Movie Vietnam War

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      WENN

      A year after his big win at the 2019 Oscars, Peter Farrelly is reportedly working on a big screen adaptation of ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A True Story of Friendship Stronger Than War.’
      Jun 14, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Viggo Mortensen is set to reteam with “Green Book” director Peter Farrelly for an adaptation of “The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A True Story of Friendship Stronger Than War”.
      The pair will reunite for the as-yet-untitled film version of the bestselling book by Joanna Molloy and John Donohue, according to Variety. The story is based on Donohue’s attempts to find the friends he met while fighting in the Vietnam War.
      Brian Currie and Pete Jones will co-write the screenplay with Farrelly.
      Mortensen and Farrelly’s last collaboration, “Green Book”, was awarded the Best Picture Oscar in 2019.
      Meanwhile, Viggo’s first attempt at filmmaking, “Falling”, got a big thumbs up last week when it was named among the 56 movies selected for Official Selection at the cancelled 2020 Cannes Film Festival.

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