Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr. was born on October 20, 1958, in Watertown, New York, to a Danish father and an American mother. Spending his formative childhood in Argentina, Mortensen became fluent in Spanish and deeply immersed in South American literature and culture before graduating from St. Lawrence University. He made his feature film debut in Peter Weir's 'Witness' (1985).

Mortensen gained universal acclaim when he stepped into the role of Aragorn in Peter Jackson's monumental 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy (2001–2003). Performing his own stunts, learning Elvish and swordplay with legendary master Bob Anderson, Mortensen imbued the reluctant king of Gondor with profound moral gravity and noble humanity, culminating in the historic 11-Oscar sweep for 'The Return of the King'.

Partnering with director David Cronenberg, Mortensen delivered searing performances in 'A History of Violence' (2005) and 'Eastern Promises' (2007), earning his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He secured further Best Actor Oscar nominations for 'Captain Fantastic' (2016) and the Best Picture winner 'Green Book' (2018). Beyond acting, Mortensen is a published poet, painter, classical photographer, and founder of Perceval Press, an independent publishing house promoting overlooked artists and writers.