Viggo-Works - Viggo News

Ah, San Lorenzo. As we all know, this is just the tip of Viggo’s Argentinian iceberg. His childhood spent on farms in Argentina, riding like a gaucho and collecting precious Soccer cards, shaped a life-long love of a country which constantly draws him back. He will be acting in an up-and–coming Argentinian film (Todos tenemos un plan), has published a book promoting Argentinian poetry (Nueva Poesin Argentina), and - while filming A Dangerous Method at Belvedere Castle - posed with the Argentinian Flag and completely threw non-cuervo educated reporters by holding a stuffed-toy that many thought was a penquin. And we haven’t even started on the yerbe mate. His love for Argentina is infectious, so here is a little celebration of all things Viggotinian.

The Argentinian. The cuervo. The Lord of the Rings. The one who teaches people to drink mate on million dollar sets.

The Habit Of Giving It All
By Juan Manuel Dominguez - translated by Ollie, Sage and Zooey
Perfil
20 June 2010

“It's not lawn clippings, I promise.”

Viggo offering a journalist mate
Return Of The King Press Junket: Viggo Mortensen
By Nazz
Nazz
December 2003

Though he was born in New York City, the Argentine soccer-fan scarf looped around his neck immediately flags Mortensen's affinity for the great elsewhere…

The Great Dane
By Phoebe Eaton
Men's Vogue
March 2008

After the 12-hour shoot Mortensen seemed a little tired, but nonetheless posed with extras and crew-members – the Argentinian flag in one hand, a bottle of beer in the other.

Freud Movie: Shooting in Vienna without Keira Knightley
By - translated by Athelin
TT.com
2 July 2010

It doesn´t matter how many times he changes his hairstyle, modifies his physical build or grows a beard. What surprises the Argentinian listener most about Viggo Mortensen is his way of speaking. What is amazing (no matter how many times you have heard him before) is that the man who portrayed Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, Captain Alatriste in Alatriste or the Russian mobster in Eastern Promises speaks Castillian like any porteño native.

In The Name Of The Father
By Natalia Trzenko - translated by Ollie and Zooey
La Nacion
22 June 2010

When you were a child and rode horses in the Argentinean pampas, did you dream of being a hero? Who were your heroes?

My hero was Martín Fierro, the mythical “gaucho” (cowboy) of Argentina, a mix of Spanish and native Indian who, by the way, also has a few points in common with Alatriste. He wasn’t perfect either but he was brave, noble, avenging and defended his people.

A Multi-talented Hero
By J. A. - translated by NacidaLibre
Dominical
27 August 2006

'I've never really owned horses. We had horses in South America where I learned to ride. The classic Argentinian style is not too different from Western riding. You're using your legs and a loose rein. I learned on tough little horses like TJ. I hadn't ridden for a long time since I was a kid.'

A Visit With Viggo
By Marianne Love
Sandpoint magazine Winter Edition
2004

‘I left Argentina when I was eleven, in ’69, and there was no cable TV, no Internet, nothing. I was in the northern United States with my picture cards, my little t-shirt, my flag, and nothing else.’

Viggo Mortensen on Soccer withdrawal
"I feel honored to be able to give a hand to poets"
By - translated by Zooey and Sage
Pagina 12
14 August 2009

"I had the club's flag folded up and tucked inside my vest. If I'd won I was going to take it out during the speech."

Viggo on San Lorenzo
Viggo Mortensen Goes From Lord Of The Rings To King Of The Road
By Martyn Palmer
Daily Mail
6 December 2009

Apart from mate and soccer, in what other aspects did your childhood in Argentina leave an impression on you?

I learned horse riding, the language, the culture and history, food, tango… I like it a lot. I can’t dance tango… I’d like to learn, but I like to sing tangos every now and then, in private… I don’t want to bother other people; I bother them enough with my movies.

Viggo talking about his Argentinian Childhood on Radio Cooperativa, Chile
By - transcribed/translated by Graciela
Radio Cooperativa
27 March 2007

What epic character from Argentine history would you like to play? And looking at the world today, who would Alatriste be?

VM: I’ll suggest two and you choose: San Filipo or El loco Dobal (soccer players) (laughs)

Alatriste Press Conference - Argentina
By - transcribed by Graciela
28 March 2007

Can this New Yorker lend importance to Argentine poetry? Casas has his point of view: "Argentine poetry does not exist; what exists is a mestiza poetry, a mixture of voices from all sides that intersect at times in this soil that some call their native land. Viggo is a mestizo like us and, because of that, we are proud that he is the publisher."

Casas presenting Perceval Press’s Nueva Poesin Argentina
Viggo Mortensen Is Now A Champion Of Argentine Poetry
By Matías Repar - translated by Zooey
Clarin
12 August 2009

“When the same project did not work out with a Mexican publishing house, a British friend told me: ‘I’m going to tell Viggo, he will be interested.’ I had no idea who that gentleman was. One morning, I got a call in my house: ‘I’m Viggo and I’m calling about the anthology,’ he introduced himself. I told him I had to go to work and that we could talk at another time, and he accepted. ‘What's your last name?’ I asked. ‘I’m Viggo Mortensen’ he said. ‘Oh, and what do you do for a living?’ Fortunately he has zero diva attitude. So he explained who he was and we started working on the book that has just been published.”

Gustavo López, who selected the Argentinian poets for the book
The Lord Of The Books
By Diego Rojas
El Argentino
19 June 2009

"Last month I bumped into Orlando Bloom in a Los Angeles club, 'Now where are you off to, Viggo?'. 'Mexico, Chile and Argentina.' 'Argentina?! It’s so beautiful,' he cried, 'You were holding out on me! It has the most beautiful women on the planet. The city center is a jewel,' he exclaimed!

'Now you see that you should listen when I speak, elf?' I replied."

Viggo Mortensen
"Now Even My Son Wants To Get To Know Argentina"
Translated for V-W- by Margarita
Gente, 3 April 2007

Would you like to return to your childhood?

Who knows? Let's see if I end up in Argentina, like a farmer. I think I would like that.

"I'd like to film in Argentina"
By Fernanda Iglesias - translated by Margarita
Clarín
15 November 2005

As always, you will find all previous Quotables here in our Webpages.