Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Mortensen: (about the movie "The Road") I've done a lot of movies where there's a certain amount of physical effort and commitment involved, but I've never worked on a movie that was as much of a marathon emotionally.

Viggo Mortensen: I like being outdoors, I like landscapes, and I like riding horses. I get along with them and like them as creatures.

Viggo Mortensen: (on getting older) I'm starting to notice I'm slowing down a bit. (In the past) there were a lot of times when I would say: 'I'm only going to get three hours' sleep, so I might as well stay up the rest of the night.' Now I tend to sleep those three hours.

Viggo Mortensen: (on his naked fight scene for "Eastern Promises") That scene was slippery, painful and embarrassing. I always knew the scene should be as realistic as the rest of the movie, so I couldn't feasibly keep the towel on. Plus, we shouldn't be trying to hide things or pretty it up in any way. I knew at times it would be awkward and vulnerable. It was also painful because I couldn't wear any pads to protect me. All I was wearing was a bunch of tattoos!

Dominic Monoghan (Viggo's co-star in "Lord of the Rings"): Most times you're with Viggo, something amazing is not far behind. He's like an old-fashioned movie star in my eyes. Very gentlemanly and very polite and very, very concentrated in his Art. In a word I would describe Viggo as being very inspiring.

Viggo Mortensen: I think violence is a part of any human society. Not just physical violence, but psychological violence. Not even overt violence, just the potential for it. In relationships, even good ones, we have the potential to unravel or for someone to say something and you to hate that person for it. Whether that person reacts or not is another thing. Society offers stability from all this and allows us to get along and track with the flow for things to get done, for a world not to go up in flames. It's a sort of unspoken agreement that generally we're not going to say and do whatever comes into our heads at any given time. It exercises restraint and censorship and when you do that you are keeping secrets. It makes it less complicated so there's no use peeling away a layer of stability. People are very unpredictable and surprising. It's just the way it is.

Viggo Mortensen (When asked if his life has changed since becoming a big star): I make an effort to keep my personal life to myself. When you make movies you are out with the audience and a lot of people, but when I'm home, I'm home - with my son and my family and friends, I have it good at home, and that hasn't changed all that much. When I come to denmark I try to visit family as I have always done.

Viggo Mortensen (When asked if he is anti-Bush): No, I'm not anti-Bush; I'm anti-Bush behavior. In other words, I'm against cheating, greed, cruelty, racism, imperialism, religious fundamentalism, treason, and the seemingly limitless capacity for hypocrisy shown by Bush and his Administration.

Viggo Mortensen (Interview with a Danish magazine): Whatever you are - a Republican, Democrat, Communist or a Fascist - it's all about getting rid of George Bush, because he is a deadly, dangerous fool.

Viggo Mortensen: I prefer the smaller acting than big histrionics. It's about reacting and looks, which is often underestimated.

Viggo Mortensen (On injuries gained whilst filming Lord of the Rings): I got a tooth knocked out, broken toes, lots of cuts and sprains, pulled muscles.

Viggo Mortensen: I'm not consciously picking any type of role, even so-called hero roles. And if some character seems very certain or very courageous, I always try to find the other side of that. When are they not courageous and when are they not certain?

Viggo Mortensen: There might be people out there who wouldn't hire me because they thought I should keep my mouth shut, but I'm not aware of that. Even if I saw evidence of that, it wouldn't really concern me. Bertrand Russell said one of the first symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important. I take my work seriously, but it's not the only thing that exists in the world.

Viggo Mortensen: Like most people I can be lazy, so it's nice to have a goal or deadline or reason to work out. I feel better when I get to exercise, or when I'm outdoors. I like to hike, swim and run, and I love to play soccer.

Viggo Mortensen: If you're trying to please everyone, then you're not going to make anything that is honestly yours, I don't think, in the long run.

Viggo Mortensen: I have never been in a natural place and felt that was a waste of time. I never have. And it's a relief. If I'm walking around a desert or whatever, every second is worthwhile.

Viggo Mortensen: There's no excuse to be bored. Sad, yes. Angry, yes. Depressed, yes. Crazy, yes. But there's no excuse for boredom, ever.

Viggo Mortensen (joking): I definitely need to sleep more. But as they say, you can sleep when you're dead.

Viggo Mortensen: Any ordeal that you can survive as a human being is an improvement in your character, and usually an improvement in your life.

Maria Bello (Viggo's co-star in "A History of Violence"): He's a different sort of person. He truly lives his life with art. You can't separate Viggo from his art. Everything he does is art.

Viggo Mortensen (On his movie "Alatriste") : It's a movie like "Elizabeth"- lots of intrigue, lots of complicated relationships.