Viggo Mortensen talks about Tolkien & filming experience on LOTR 

Hey all, thanks for boosting the channel with so many subs. I will try to make movie/gaming related videos although I am quite lazy with this channel, however I have made a new LOTR video which you might enjoy, with rare interviews from the cast and crew. Enjoy - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-t09Vc4zK2m8.html ps is there some type of content you would like to see from this channel?

Viggo's portrayal of Aragorn is a timeless masterpiece.

No one could have been better as Aragorn than Viggo

Wow, that's fascinating. Everyone always memed on the Aragorn's voice changing through the course of the trilogy, but he did it on purpose. Wow.

"No, I never read Lord of the Rings" ... "Nordic and Celtic folklore, which I am intimately familiar with." Haha I love this guy.

My brother. My captain. My king.

I absolutely love Viggo! Such a talented actor an an even greater human being. He is so much like Aragorn, an honourable man of integrity,

Nothing but respect for this man. Highly talented, intelligent, educated, and wise.

The way he immersed himself in this character is fantastic. From carrying his sword on him all the time, to repairing his own costume, just epic

Damn he stood up against the unjust wars. That's inspiring!

Ooof that guy pressuring him about the war. Viggo is a gem

History proved him right

Viggo is what all men should aspire to be.

Aragorn on screen, Aragorn in real life.What a role model.BRAVO Viggo

Mr. Mortensen's comments aged like fine wine. He was a golden pick for these films and really put his best efforts towards it.

A very learned and intelligent gentleman, who also speaks 7 languages. His questions regarding America's involvement in Iraq were 💯 percent correct! (And still are today.) A multi faceted and multi talented man! (Apparently he makes furniture too! go figure) So No there could n never really be another to play the role of Aragorn. What an incredible embodiment of a role!! (Thank you Viggo).

PERFECT casting, I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role so perfectly. Aragorn should be the standard for all of humanity, and the fact that Viggo is so much like his character is just the cherry on top. Love this man ❤

Love Viggo’s comments about the war in Iraq. What a stellar guy!

To even comprehend LOTR without Viggo is unthinkable! It would never have been as great as it is!

If I could aspire to be anyone in life it would be Aragorn, if I can’t be Aragorn then I would be Viggo Mortensen

and he remembered all th Elvish lyrics... amazing.

Wow, America after 9/11 was wild. Huge respect to Viggo, standing up for what is right at a time where you're being called a 5th collumnist for doing so is very brave.

Most based actor on Earth. I am fascinated about his moral behaviour and how he spoke about problems so openly. Much respect👏

Actor, Christopher Lee wanted to play Gandalf, but was put into the role of Saruman. He met Tolkien. His life’s story is breathtaking. Bravo Viggo, for such a wonderful talent! ❤

Viggo is goodDude, I have only ever heard good things about him from everyone who knows or has worked with him.

Wow how true Viggo's words are about what his shirt says.

a really well spoken thoughtful guy

Viggo is such a class act and a mensch. He sounds like a great human being. Heart felt.

When he started singing, he instantly tapped into such depths of nostalgia... 😢 This is one thing books don't have, the music. It makes moments stay with you forever. The music starts playing and *click* - you're back.

Viggo was blessed with good genes; he remains so handsome all the years later.

Vigo is one of the best actors of all time and a humble guy well-respected man of culture.

Aragorn speaking like a King

Viggo talking about what America does in forein countries for profit gives me LIFE. It's not a nobble thing, it never was. War is about profit. If it wasn't, no one would do start one.

I love Viggo Mortensen. He is such a down to earth man, such a handsome man's man, & an incredible actor! One thing that strikes me about him is that, although his smile is beautiful he doesn't have perfect teeth...and yet, he doesn't feel the need to have his teeth redone, to have a more toothy smile & make them perfect. I love that about him. He looks fantastic just as he is!

So well spoken and he defends his point about the war so well

I think it's absolutely amazing how a man who is so chill and just has a down-to-earth vibe in real life has played one of the most intense characters ever to be portrayed in a film

As far as I know from all the movies that I have watched ( and I have watched plenty) Aragorn is the most noble,down to earth and humble character that has ever been portrayed...

viggo mortesen really represents healthy masculinity. he stands for what he believes but he doesnt condone those opposed to him in opinion

I want Viggo and Joaquin to collaborate at least once. They both got a measured vulnerability about them but in different ways.

gosh he's amazing

You are greatly loved for the way you created your role and made us all love your character so dearly. ❤

He was a great Aragorn. It's curious that he fit the description of him so well, and he was not the first choice. I am very glad they recast it. Had they kept Stuart Townsend, it would have been a huge mistake. He just didn't fit the leader that Viggo did. Viggo was born for that part.

Interesting he also read Saga of the Volsungs etc. This was all before the Vikings hype.

What a wonderfully articulate and interesting guy. Great actor too

Viggo wasn’t the only one who changed his voice from his natural one. Liv Tyler did as well. She deepened her voice for the role of Arwen.

The host trying desperately to make Viggo look "unamerican" because he doesn't support what we're doing in the middle east at the time, is absurd. We weren't in Iraq because of 9/11. Iraq had NOTHING to do with the attacks. That was all oil. That was all building bases, and establishing control. It was meddling at its worst. Afghanistan was for 9/11 but he's not wrong. We were WAY too heavy-handed and bombed far too many civilians. It's not unamerican to criticize America. It's HIGHLY patriotic to expect better from your country, to want better. To want the evils of war to end. The war in the middle east was one of the greatest mistakes in American History. It was botched from start to finish. Viggo was years ahead with his views on the subject. Only in hindsight are people coming around on this.

Excellent interview. Excellent commentary. Viggio is an absolutely brilliant actor. I am so happy that we got to know him better through this documentary.

Self-sacrifice is so important… Galadriel from the rings of power- “No it’s not.”

I’ve loved this guy since I first saw him in lotr when I was 13 and now I love and respect him even more.

I still cry every time at the coronation scene after I have seen it at least 50 times

I think what Viggo was saying is something like, if someone in a neighbourhood home is a violent criminal, does a Swap team hone in on the house, or do they just bomb the entire neighbourhood?

The elvish are based quite a lot in Finland, Tolkien even says it in the interview that is shot that he took inspiration from Finland. Well from Kalevala ofc which is like our mythology. That left aside I beleave the elvish are overall most based on the finnish history, vikings saw finnish as the best sorcerers in to them the known world aka rhe whole world (they had some trouble raiding us, just not worth the hazzle for the bounty). Finland also being the last in europe to turn from pagans to christianity, so those sorcery beleaves was kept heavily alive here for a long time. The oldest iteration of elvish language is heeeavily based on the finnish language and kinda sounds the same, but the language changes thru the times in middle-earth and doesn't so much sound like finnish when Lotr takes place. Still the rules on the language still have a lot of similarities. Tolkien was for a reason or another really fascinated in Finland (ww2 might also have something to do with it, since he fought and it's quite miracle Finland manouvered out of the war still as a country in almost impossible situation). Just saying since he keeps saying a lot is based in nordic myrhology. Which ofcourse first brings in mind scandinavian viking history and sagas.

Hurray for Viggo’s son!!

I always thought I heard a hint of Irish accent at the Black Gate "Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth", may have been deliberate, pretty coooool

He still remembers the language, impressive

I’ve loved Viggo since 85, and followed his career. When he accepted the role of Aragorn, one of my favorite literary characters in one of my all time favorite stories ,LOTR, I was ecstatic! He is my all time love of all actors. He’s a good human and a unique soul that I never tire of. His intelligence and his beliefs and convictions are admirable. He embodies a renaissance man and I’m so grateful to know of him and get to witness his gifts he shares with the world.

One of the best castings in cinema.

Hidalgo was a great western/ eastern? ...lol but "Lord of the Rings" was the ultimate movie series of our time. not just because of the material and story (which are really great) .. but because of the cast and crews commitment to presenting that material as nearly to the authors intent as possible.. watch the making of to understand the background work that Jackson did to exceed all expectations.

I can't imagine anyone else as Strider/Aragorn.

fucking legendary i did not know how against the war he was

I just want Viggo to speak up. He speaks so softly.

I like how he talks about “masks” and how he makes it sound like a tool rather than something everyone should discard completely.

In 10 or 15 years when the LOTR movies are re-made, we all are going to hate the new Aragorn and praise the heavens for this man.

It's truly horrible that even today many people in my country do not share Viggo's opinion about the war.

Viggo is invencible in that argument about the Irak War

hearing him sing the song from the coronation probably 20 years later was incredible

Imagine yourself being a dentist...and a person walks in dressed like a warrior from medieval era

Watching this 20 years later is amazing

Volsung Saga is exactly the right inspiration. Amazing

This video went places i absolutely did not expect

This guy is a great actor... Wanna see his range ? watch the green book

What a wonderfully balanced person!

He is,the forever Aragorn

You know it shows jut how much of an epic guy he is , when you hear him singing in flawless Elvish.

Viggo was a geniius in the devil scene in 'The Prophecy'. Then there is 'Hidalgo', 'Green Book' and yes 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Bit of trivia, he broke his toes when kicking a helmet when thinking Merry and Pippin were killed with the Uruk Hai they hunted. He comes across like a genuine good guy.

Looking at Viggo just makes me notice that we are both getting old!!!

I love how Viggo sneaks in some solid critiques of Jackson throughout.

"keep the blood on, that's continuity" xddd hes so good!

Respect increased so much!

Be a little bit more like Viggo.

this man played such an important part of my life and i will be forever greatfull. the whole cas and crew where perfect but as ive got older the more ive learnt of how much viggo impacted the lord of the rings is something i appreciate every day. him, orlando bloom, elighja wood and sir ian McKellen are what brought me to reading tolkien and changing my life

The way he modestly deflected at the end was great.

Anyone who actually tries to remake the LOTR trilogy will be destroyed by the bar set in place by this original series… a ridiculous amount of awards for this trilogy. Just don’t even try to touch this.

3:23 I find adaptations interesting, because I appreciate it's incredibly difficult task to get right. Jackson was probably the best I've ever seen, and will ever see, but there's one point I'm unable to let go. I always viewed book Aragorn as completely lacking any self doubt, in a classic heroic manner. Such as when he meets the Rohirrim for the first time, and he grows in stature in an impactful manner as he pridefully announces himself and his great lineage. Meanwhile movie Aragorn always carried a heavy sense of shame of his own identity. Likewise, Book Aragon's goal was to reclaim the birthright of Gondor. That was his story arc. Meanwhile in the movies, he literally stumbled into Gondor and wanted to avoid it because of... guilt? Guilt was perhaps an expedient choice by Jackson(?), as doubt is more approachable to a modern audience. I think Jackson succeeded in making the movie approachable. Full credit on that, but I fear something profoundly valuable was lost when he made that sacrifice. For example, by making Aragorn feel guilty about taking the throne, Jackson had to create the idea that the Ring was about power. Movie Aragorn then felt guilty about his movie ancestor's hubris for power. In Tolkien's lore however, the Numenoreons wanted what the elves had, which was to live forever. They were already more powerful than the elves, but resentfully, they ultimately had to die like lesser beings. This directly echoes straight into Arwen's choice to be with Aragorn, binding the story together. This is why Arwen accepting a mortal life was so profound, jet it felt somewhat disjointed in the movie. It didn't really fit with the movie narrative. "Why can't she just go to the undying land when Aragorn dies? That doesn't make sense. What's the big deal?" It felt a bit unnecessary and robs her of a story arc. There's more, but you get the point of a slippery slope. It also made me laugh, for a different reason. Mankind's inescapable death was the bedrock which book Sauron exploited with his corruption of the island. JAckson's minor deviating choice further leads to the creation of Amazon's series. Amazon created an entire show wasn't about Mankinds envy of the elves. It wasn't about the undying lands, but power in itself. It's incorrect and devoid of Tolkien's meaning, so they had to twist themes around their narrative that lacked the weight of merit. Basically, the Amazon writers based a 1 billion USD $ on nothing more than a minor expedient choice by Jackson, not Tolkien. Knowing this, it's painfully obvious every time I see it: 😂The Rings of POWER. Have a good day and take care.

4:38 XD this interaction was hilarious to watch. Big props to this host who coaxed it out of Viggo.

Literally, the only movies I know Viggo from is LOTR and Hidalgo. It's criminal how little he has been utilized as an actor.

Viggo portrayed Aragorn so well coz he's a great human been and he shares many values and qualities with Tolkien's character.

He is so gorgeous ❤

Thanks for this video, I loved listening to vigo

Seems to be a well grounded person. Must be he did not attend schools in the USA.

wonderful singing voice, as well. A man with true integrity. I agree with Viggo, in that,, there is way way way too much 'collateral damage' in these 'wars'. It always ends up people of one country hating people of another country, when it's their governments that are responsible.

So glad Tom Cruise said no. He would have ruined this.

My brother, My captain, My king...

great vid

the best king saw on a screen

Wow. Chills

Viggo Mortensen well said

14:20 "& sometimes they're right... i wish you've been around, we would'Ve done a Better Job..."

Remember when actors cared more about the part they were playing and staying true to the source material rather than pushing identity politics? Yeah, me too.

He looks more and more like that old wise king you're read in fairy tales.