“You can look at life as a poem, a story, and you can see yourself… In
moments like that, you find not only lessons for your own life, but you
find something beautiful in ordinary life, something that links you to
the past and to the future.”
--Viggo Mortensen
An impressive thought, isn't it?
I was actually trying to look for an article about Orlando Bloom when I checked some of my old magazines. I think I've lost it, but the good news is that I found a better one. I never really admired the real man behind Aragorn figure until I read that article.
Surprising facts about Viggo Mortensen (well, at least for me):
- He was born in 1958, which means that he's almost 50 year old. (Gosh..I thought he was only about 30 something!!)
- He writes poetry and also an author of the book Recent Forgeries. (never thought that he could even write a novel)
- He is a jazz musician with 3 CDs he has released so far. (hmm..never heard any of his songs. I'm kinda curious about it.)
- Ouw..yea, he's also a creator of photographs and paintings too! (what a multi-talented person)
- Before he became a successful actor, he has experienced working as flowers seller. (ooh..sweet..)
- Worked as a truck driver while living in Denmark.
- There's something to LOTR that speaks to the poet in Mortensen's soul louder than the grand spectacle and the almighty punch-ups. It has, he feels, a powerful lesson to teach us, and one that is particularly present at this time. He says: "There's a tendency in America to say this is good and this is evil and I shall do something about it." It isn't that simple Tolkien has Gandalf say, I think in d 1st book, something to the effect
that nothing was evil and in the beginning; Sauron was not always so. Aragorn says to Legolas at one point, "Good and evil has not changed since yesteryear, and nor are they one thing among dwarves and elves." Something I found interesting is that even though Tolkien was a devout Christian, the books don't assert that there is heavenly reward for doing the right thing. Doing the right thing is it's own reward." (hmm..again I have to say: "Impressive!!")
- He is a committed parent and has evidently managed to stay clear of the drugs and other scandals so common in Hollywood. (that's one in a million)
Here are some of his pics:
lotr aragorn
Viggo 'n his ex.wife Exene from d movie salvation
Viggo's beloved son, Henry Mortensen in Gondor
Quotes by Viggo from interviews and articles:
"As a kid, you fantasize about all the
adventures you're going to have. You imagine yourself exploring the
world, and you wonder if you really can. Most people, after a while,
sort of repress that desire and instead they just live inside a box and
never attempt it. But I wanted adventure--and I know that life is
short. So I tried to do a lot of things."
As quoted by Dotson Rader in Parade magazine, "I Still Ask Why"
February 29, 2004
"I knew early on that life is sorrowful. We
all decline, slowly or quickly, and we die. We can't change that. But
we can change our attitude toward it.
"We each have only a limited amount of time here. We have to do more
with it--pay attention, explore, be open to all of life. Because we
have only one chance, we have to make life seem longer than it really
is."
As quoted by Dotson Rader in Parade magazine, "I Still Ask Why"
February 29, 2004
"Joseph Campbell said the privilege of a lifetime is being yourself. That's his feeling. And I guess it's mine too."
As quoted by Alex Kuczynski in Vanity Fair, "Finding Viggo"
January 1, 2004
On religion: "My answer would be what
Walt Whitman said in Leaves of Grass, something to the effect of 'I
hear and behold that God is in every object and yet I understand God
not at all.'"
As quoted by Alex Kuczynski in Vanity Fair, "Finding Viggo"
January 1, 2004
"There's no excuse to be bored. Sad, yes. Angry, yes. Depressed, yes. Crazy, yes. But there is no excuse for boredom, ever.
"Of course, Henry says, 'Yeah, well, Dad, if you were in my science
class you'd know what it is to be bored.' I guess that's something a
little different."
As quoted by Alex Kuczynski in Vanity Fair, "Finding Viggo"
January 1, 2004
"We all experience many freakish and
unexpected events - you have to be open to suffering a little. The
philosopher Schopenhauer talked about how out of the randomness, there
is an apparent intention in the fate of an individual that can be
glimpsed later on. When you are an old guy, you can look back, and
maybe this rambling life has some through-line. Others can see it
better sometimes. But when you glimpse it yourself, you see it more
clearly than anyone."
As quoted by Tom Roston, The Mail on Sunday, "The King returns"
December 1, 2003
What do you think makes you sexy?
"I don't really know how to deal with that question. I'm sure that there's just as many people who think I'm a grizzled hack."
As quoted by Tom Roston, The Mail on Sunday, "The King returns"
December 1, 2003
"I have never been in a natural place and felt
that 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."
Interview by Ariel Leve, The Sunday Times, "The Brain Dane"
November 30, 2003
"I have friends who I get along with who I
know get very uncomfortable being alone, unless they're with people,
talking all the time. Whether it's on the phone, or in person, they're
never by themselves. Whereas I could be alone for months."
Interview by Ariel Leve, The Sunday Times, "The Brain Dane"
November 30, 2003
"If I can get a day to myself, I won't answer
the phone, I'll read or go for a walk. Simple, basic things. People
think there's always time to do that but there isn't. Life is short."
Interview by Ariel Leve, The Sunday Times, "The Brain Dane"
November 30, 2003
"I'm not that involved in personal grooming. But I try not to be offensive to people."
As quoted by Allison Glock, GQ, "Twenty-one Reasons to Dig Viggo Mortensen"
November 1, 2003
"If I don't get a little time by myself every day, it makes me uncomfortable. I really need that. Even if it's a minute or two."
As quoted in Variety Life, "Viggo Mortensen"
October 1, 2003
"I think it was Robert Louis Stevenson who
said this. It was about meandering through a career, or the arts in
general, without seeming to have a deliberate plan. He said, 'To travel
hopefully is better than to arrive, and the true success is in the
labor.' That's a great line, 'To travel hopefully.' That's what I'd
like to do."
As quoted in Variety Life, "Viggo Mortensen"
October 1, 2003
"Rabbits sometimes run out in front of your
car, right? Well, I hit this rabbit on this lonely road in the South
Island and I wanted to make sure it was dead. If it wasn't, I'd put it
out of its misery. And it was quite dead, so I thought, 'Well, why
waste it?' And so I made a little fire and ate it.
"It was fresh. That, I knew."
As quoted by Tom Roston in Premiere, "The Hero Returns"
January 1, 2003
wondering does he have any blog on uk's bloggerspot that I can add him 2 my account^^ I'll check out later. Hope I'd find it..
Aha..after many Christmas celebrations come 'n go. d heart of Christmas finally gets real to me since last nite. Well, there's always something special from each Christmas celebration, there were even many special things actually; d people, d decorations, 'n stuffs, but Christmas eve was really d peak!! It's like wat a song says "It isn't Christmas till it happens in ur heart". And there was truly something tat touched me right in d heart frm wat Pastor Charles Lopez told us on our Christmas eve. He told us loads of great things, but I can't tell ya d whole things he sed (I cud av been a priest if i cud do so:) So, tis is what my poor memory can rememba.
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