It’s always a good day when I get to write about Viggo Mortensen. And surprisingly, this story isn’t all about some movie I’ll never watch or about Viggo’s political views (okay, it’s not ENTIRELY about his politics). Viggo is (still) promoting his film Far From Men, which he’s been hyping at various film festivals for months now. The film got a VOD release and it will have a limited theatrical release on May 1. But really, Viggo is great because even when he’s promoting a particular film, he rarely stays on-message and ends up talking about lots of different things. Like how he was offered Wolverine in the first X-Men movie. Like what he thinks of the murder of Walter Scott. You can read the full interview here. Some highlights:
Viggo was offered Wolverine: “I was offered Wolverine, actually, for the first movie—I guess it would’ve been for the franchise then. That was just before I got Lord of the Rings. I was flattered. I remember going to that meeting with the director, Bryan Singer, with my son who was a total comic book expert. He was about 10 at the time. Henry came, and Singer showed us all these models and storyboards, and Henry was instructing the director, saying, “Oh, you’re going to change this thing right here.” I believe it coincided with another project, and I couldn’t do it.”
He was offered other big films: “Every once in a while I’m offered something like that. I was offered two different parts in the last Superman movie they made [Man of Steel], but I wasn’t available to do that either. And The Huntsman in Snow White and the Huntsman, which isn’t a comic book but is almost like a comic book…. They changed it a lot. When they offered it to me, it was a different story and seemed more justified to be called Snow White and the Huntsman. The movie they ended up making should have been called Snow White and the Wicked Witch. The original script was a lot funnier and there was a longer apprenticeship. It was almost like The African Queen a little bit.”
On the murder of Walter Scott: “South Carolina. Yes, I’ve been following it. That was great what happened there, that he was caught on video, but let’s see what they do. Look at what happened in Ferguson or Staten Island, where the guy was choked to death. That was all caught on a phone, but the guy wasn’t even taken to trial! Because all these things have been happening, it’s going to be hard for that police department in Charleston to let the guy get away with it.
Privacy, technology: “What Edward Snowden has warned about is the equivalent of what George Orwell was warning about, and I think that documentary Citizenfour is equivalent to 1984 in its importance. And I think Snowden is like Winston Smith—the character who fights Big Brother. There are serious issues with it, not just the trivial, “Get out of my face with that camera, it’s so irritating,” but it can also be good. I think young people are also learning things very fast, and if they want to, it’s good for getting out the vote and making people conscious of what’s going on, but they’re great tools to inform.”
Viggo also goes on a lengthy discussion about social media, saying that it bugs him that people aren’t “present” in the world, that they’re always checking in with social media and all of that. He says he doesn’t believe Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are the end of civilization, but they need to be used differently and people need to be able to take a break from them.
I’m surprised that Viggo is so open with discussing the films he’s passed on – I honestly didn’t know he was up for Wolverine, or Man of Steel, or Snow White and the Huntsman. He would have made an interesting Wolverine, but I’m not sure Viggo would have stuck with the character like Hugh Jackman has. What was Viggo offered in Man of Steel? I could see him getting offers for Jor-El (Russell Crowe) or General Zod (Michael Shannon). That’s just my theory, I don’t know what he was offered. But I’m glad he refused SWATH. That would have been bad.
Photos of Viggo at a February event in Barcelona, courtesy of WENN & Fame/Flynet.
I’m in complete agreement with his remarks regarding social media.
Me too.
He makes me swoon. That is all.
Just so dreamy and swoon-worthy, isn’t he? I need him to come back to Boston to read history books aloud again, or whatever it was he was doing the last time he was here. The actual content of what he was saying was a blur because – VIGGO!
Yes. He’s hot. But there’s a lot of Sixer’s ideal man goiing on personality-wise, too.
The intelligence and the personality are a huge part of what makes him so swoon-worthy
Co-signing on all of that, Sixer
Viggo is one of my faves. Sigh…
Not the least bit pretty and ingratiating, just a handsome man among boys. He has charisma enough for four men, and that gaze.. I love him, and wish he’d take more visible roles again.
Mad respect for Viggo calling out the murders of unarmed men by the people.
I would have problem with other people for saying this, so not to be a hypocrite – even though I really like Viggo, I think it’s not very tactful to discuss the roles you passed on. It sounds braggy and diminishes other actors’ effort. Hugh Jackman is Wolverine in people’s minds and it’s unnecessary to discuss the fact he wasn’t the first choice after all this years and movies. Last time I read an interview with Viggo, he was badmouthing Peter Jackson and broke the other rule other people get in trouble for – not to bite the hand that feeds you. At least we know he doesn’t have a PR team and speaks his mind.
I can’t remember what he fully said about Jackson, I know it was about the Hobbit & how there was too much computer animation?
It’s not a matter of being a director’s first choice at all though. It isn’t frequently about merit even. There are complexities, variables and schedules when casting. Director’s are often not the person getting final say on casting anyhow. Heck, they often don’t get final say on their own projects. Viggo’s stating that SWATH was a totally different movie when it was brought to him. It all fascinates me. I’m always fascinated to hear that Will Smith passed on The Matrix. Or that Russell Crowe passed on it (and LOTRs, btw) because he couldn’t understand it. It fascinates me to know that The Matrix could’ve gone all those different directions. Or that Will Smith passed on Django, but that was after Micheal K. Williams couldn’t make his Boardwalk Empire schedule work, so Jamie Foxx was the guy. Or that Jake Gyllenhaal’s parents wouldn’t let him leave school to do Mighty Ducks. We could’ve had Ed Norton as Private Ryan instead of Matt Damon. Ashley Judd or Helen Hunt instead of Julianna Margulies for The Good Wife, (as told by Julianna). I’ve noticed consistently it’s actors who don’t give a f*ck who are willing to talk about this. And almost always women. It’s Helena Bonham Carter, Vera Farmiga and on and on. What’s the point of pretending that didn’t happen? Especially when it’s been noted and known that you were in talks to do something. Particularly in Viggo’s case, he was recently in talks for Tarantino’s next film. They had meetings and he passed. People want to know why. He’s already been asked about it a few times. Does it diminish something for someone knowing that Viggo wasn’t the first, second, third, thirtieth or FIRST CAST for Aragorn? He is Aragorn. Jackman is Wolverine. I could only see it diminishing something if the person who was ultimately cast was sh*t in the part. And why bullsh*t? Are we pretending Hiddleston or Cumberbatch were “first choice” when they get a project after Michael Fassbender or Tom Hardy drop out? It happens all the time. More often than not. I don’t think it matters or says anything about anyone involved in that way.
I also don’t agree with the “biting the hand that feeds” thing where Jackson’s concerned. First because dude hasn’t “fed” Mortensen anything in more than 10 years. I know with actors things can be more public. But it’s all relative. And I just don’t believe we hold ourselves, or others, to quite that same standard. I mean, of course some people are also rude and tactless about it. But there’s a lot of middle ground between that and being insincere, un-opinionated, political, and silently obsequious, right? I have problems with people making it seem like actors are Dickensian peasants, eternally grateful for any morsel they get. As if they “get” anything. It makes it sound as though Jackson did Mortensen a favor in hiring him. (I think an illustration of the limits of Jackson’s influence is in the fact that it’s 2015, and outside of Ian* or Bloom’s personal life, we aren’t talking about AN-Y-body from LOTRs or The Hobbit films, which many have already forgotten about. And Viggo appears to be one doing whatever the hell he wants to do. PJ’s project opened the door. But Viggo got himself in that position and had to walk through it. Viggo doesn’t owe him anything. Even for the leg-up and fame. Which Viggo has clearly never been very interested in. Not that anything Viggo said precludes gratitude anyway.) LOTRs turned out well. So the story’s a happy one, with a positive spin. But read between the lines and wade through the Viggo lovefest that is the LOTRs dvd features and you can get an idea of how messy and touch-and-go the production got at times. VM didn’t say anything about the experience of shooting LOTRs that wasn’t true. It would’ve been hypocritical of him to say differently about Jackson’s films than what he’s been saying about technology and etc., for decades, (something you can also hear Mortensen talk about on the LOTRs dvds). And he didn’t say anything that we aren’t ALL saying about Jackson’s post-LOTRs output.
*Ian is also not a good example. Firstly, he’s Ian and was Ian a long time before LOTRs. Secondly, he notably had a little meltdown shooting The Hobbit one day, in a green screen box, working opposite dwarves that weren’t there. It’s the George Lucas approach. Something Jackson went through pains to avoid way back when shooting LOTRs.
Actually, Hugh Jackman is probably okay with it. He was a last minute replacement in the movie for Dougray Scott, who was offered Mission Impossible 2 and chose that over X Men.
In the case of XMEN, that film was in development since i was a kid in the 80s. It used to come up in film magazines all the time, who was directing, writing, starring in it and who had dropped out. i remember that it was nearly made starring Sylvester Stallone as ‘Wolverine’. It went through so many combinations of creatives that it just seemed like one of those films that would never be made.
Let me just say that this man is a gem of a human being. I’m friends with a woman he once dated and he was the sweetest to her and her kids. He is genuine, interesting, talented and extremely kind. I’m not ashamed to say that I was very jealous of her at the time.
I’m envious of your friend too!
I’ll watch any movie with viggo in it, seriously. I’m glad he passed on those movies
This is true. I’ve also heard that he’s incredibly kind and thoughtful.
This guy grates on my nerves. He sounds like a raging narcissist to me. He bitches about the director that made him a household name and then goes about listing all the successful films that he thinks he could have had. Viggo, if you are so freaking awesome the movies you made instead would have been hits too. He sounds like a nightmare to work with.
I completely agree about Ed Snowden though. It’s sad how indifferent people have been to the revelations.
I don’t know, I think he comes off as quite humble. He qualified it by saying “every once in a while” he is offered the blockbuster, and he said he was flattered about being offered Wolverine. He has never been in la-la land promoting himself and going to all the right places to be photographed, so it doesn’t strike me as a big narcissistic seeking attention. He knows who he is, and is confident in that. There’s a difference. It doesn’t hurt that he’s actually a very good actor, and unlike most of Hollywood, educated and worldly.
@ The Other Pinky
What you might be failing to realize is that the interviewer most likely asked him that question. I have seen interviews of actors where one of the questions were, is there any roles you were offered and passed on, or is there any role you would have liked to be cast in. I highly doubt out of the blue Viggo just sat down and said hey you know I was offered the role of Wolverine . These journalists/interviewers have a way of asking questions but making it seems as if the interviewee is just casually talking about various sibjects.
Most actors simply refuse to discuss films they were offered first because it clearly undermines whoever eventually got it. Some even lie and deny having been offered a role first if the question is too specific. It’s tacky as hell to engage question so standard you could simply practice the brush off reply and pull it out when required.
Edit
I posted my previous reply in the wrong spot.
But anyways @Pinky. How do you know most actors refuse to answer that question? How do you know that they were even asked ? There’s no harm in saying what roles you turned down or didn’t take if someone asked you. It’s not like Viggo was just going around bragging about it. Why would he shrug it off. They’re not asking him his favorite sex position or what actor he hates working with.
It doesn’t undermine anybody. Actors often audition for the same role and just because the director decided to go with one over the other doesn’t undermine the ones that didn’t get it. Haven’t there been actors that talked about the roles they didn’t get. Are they undermining themselves when they do.
I’m a fan and so I read and listen to a lot of his interviews and I really have never gotten that vibe. I really don’t imagine I would become a fan if he were how you perceive him.
One of the things I like about him is that acting is not his only artistic expression and he is rather accomplished in other areas. Yea, he is a bit of an “artiste” and can be rather method when it comes to acting, but I have never heard bad things said about him.
And in my mind, he has never chased fame like actor/narcissists tend to do. When you think about the blockbuster roles he talks about having to pass on he’s clearly done it because he was already booked with smaller fare (I’m guessing some of the Cronenberg work).
And he’s also talked quite a bit about the fact that he wasn’t the first choice for Aragon in LOTR. He was offered the role after it didn’t work out with Jackson’s first choice. And that was even after other more famous names had passed.
No narcissist in the world thinks and cares about others as much as Viggo does.
I would have love to see the first version of SWATH. Interesting idea the apprenticeship, instead of “Oh I just woke up and now i’m Joan of Arc, man my magic blood is good” .
Yeah. That might have been a movie worth watching.
I really like Viggo and the fact that he speaks his mind. But, I think actors need to let go the roles they passed (or auditioned, but didn’t get it).
I will always love Viggo. I did not know he was considered for Wolverine. I do remember hearing rumors about him for Man of Steel. They did originally offer the Huntsmen role to him, he turned it down and they offered it to Hugh Jackman who also turned it down.
I totally agree with Viggo on social media.
Does he not realize that NCPD already brought charges against the officer? If he has been following it, he should know that. SC has actually prosecuted 3-4 officers in the last 2 years for murder/attempted murder.
It’s kind of an unspoken rule in the business not to discuss the films you were offered first and turned down. It’s considered rude to the actors who ended up with the job to say “oh I turned down this….”
I hate when actors talk about the roles they’ve passed on. I like Viggo but it’s unprofessional.
I think he’d be a hell of a Wolverine, but I’m more than happy with Hugh Jackman’s one. And it’s funny how I imagine his child at the meeting, when in fact I was a child too back in those days… Yeah, time goes by so quickly.
His interviews are usually really interesting–I’m always intrigued by him. He’s a modern Renaissance man in so many ways, with so many diverse interests. He does pick some great projects to make, which allows time for other pursuits. The man is extremely well-read and intellectually curious (without being a total know-it-all), and that’s pretty sexy.
I recently watched The Two Faces of January on Netflix. He was so good in that movie, and great to look at. And Oscar Isaac or Isaac Oscar or whatever was great too.
I’m one of the original Viggo Stans; around the LOTR period I was “that fan” that you are like “We will be at X event” and then you realize That Fan will be there and you go “Damn.” Sorry, Viggo! I’m over it now!
But I had no idea he was offered Wolverine. In all honesty they’ve done a great job with that story and I could see him bringing the damaged humanity to that in a way Jackman only hinted at. But the version of Snow White and the Huntsman he talks about is intriguing. Imagine if it had been more thoughtful, deeper, more mythic. Viggo’s a big fan of myth, a huge Joseph Campbell geek.
Obligatory shilling for Perceval Press, which he owns and which really does publish some excellent books. Now that I run a hacktivism website I’d love to review half of their list but, because of my past as That Creepy Fan, I dare not request the damn books. Oh well.
Thankyou now I know what SWATH stands for!