Since his screen debut as a young Amish farmer in director Peter Weir’s Witness, Viggo Mortensen's movie-acting career has been marked by a steady string of diverse performances. Critics have continually recognized his work in more than 40 films, including Good, Appaloosa, Eastern Promises, A History of Violence, Alatriste, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, A Walk on the Moon, Portrait of a Lady, La Pistola de Mi Hermano, Carlito's Way, The Indian Runner, and The Reflecting Skin, to name a few.

This fall, Mortensen appears in John Hillcoat’s The Road, the highly anticipated film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s best selling novel. The film tells the story of a father (Mortensen) and son (Kodi Smit) who travel down a post-apocalyptic road in search of safety.

This past year Mortensen showcased his range starring in two very different films: Appaloosa, directed by Ed Harris and Good, directed by Vicente Amorim .

Mortensen’s performance in David Cronenberg’s, Eastern Promises, garnered him an Academy Award, Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA nominations for Best Performance by a Leading Actor.

Born in New York to an American mother and a Danish father, Mortensen spent the early part of his childhood in Manhattan. His family traveled extensively, and he spent several years living in Venezuela, Argentina, and Denmark. He began acting in New York, studying with Warren Robertson, and appeared in several plays and movies before moving to Los Angeles. He is also an accomplished poet, photographer, and painter. In 2002, he founded Perceval Press, an independent publishing house specializing in art, poetry, and critical writing. Perceval's mission is to publish texts, images, and recordings that might not otherwise be presented.

Most recently, Mortensen exhibited the photographic series "Skovbo" in Iceland, at the Reykjavik Museum of Photography, and “The Nature of Landscape and Independent Perception” with George Gudni at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. Past shows include "Miyelo" at both the Stephen Cohen Gallery in Los Angeles and the Addison Ripley Gallery in Washington, D.C. Mortensen has also shown his work at the Robert Mann Gallery in New York City, as well as in New Zealand, Denmark, and Cuba. On 18th October his photographic exhibition "Sådanset" will open in Roskilde, Denmark, at the Palæfløjen exhibition space. His books of photography and writing are available from Perceval Press.

Show full bio

Hide full bio