Viggo Mortensen's rise to fame may be largely attributed to his iconic portrayal in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but his four-decade career is far more multifaceted than his rugged charm. As an actor, he has garnered praise for his deeply layered performances, solidifying his status as one of Hollywood's most captivating character actors. However, acting alone did not satiate the Danish-American's creative drive. After making his directorial debut with Falling in 2020, Mortensen has once again taken the helm with his second feature film, The Dead Don't Hurt, which he also scripted, produced, and scored.
"I've gleaned insights from observing directors, both male and female, with whom I've collaborated for over 40 years," he shares with Euronews. "Witnessing their interactions with the crew, the cinematographer, the actors, their preparation methods, and storytelling techniques—that's where my learning lies. I began late in life, much later than I had hoped. Yet, all I absorbed from watching them at work, I applied in my first film and now in the second. I trust I've sidestepped many errors by waiting until I was older to direct."
Mortensen's first significant film role came in 1985's Witness when he was in his late 20s. Since then, he has collaborated with a diverse array of directors. One of his most frequent partnerships is with David Cronenberg, with whom he has worked on seven films, the latest being Crimes of the Future. Other notable collaborations include those with Jane Campion (Portrait of a Lady) and Argentinian Ana Piterbarg (Everybody Has a Plan).
"Perhaps it's unfair to the actors we work with, as we must step back to communicate with sound and camera operators between takes. It's physically more exhausting by day's end. Yet, as actors directing, we're more efficient because we lack the time to second-guess our actions. So, we're more efficient but more fatigued."
The Dead Don't Hurt primarily revolves around a love story between two outsiders in a harsh environment. The narrative begins with Olsen, a Danish immigrant who becomes the sheriff of a small Old West town, mourning the recent burial of his beloved, Vivienne, a French-speaking Canadian. Overwhelmed by his duties, he allows the mayor to wrongfully hang an innocent man for a crime committed by the local chief's son, the despicable Weston Jeffries. Through flashbacks of Olsen and Vivienne's meeting, the film captures the beauty of their westward journey. Olsen departs to fight in the American Civil War, leaving Vivienne vulnerable to Weston's advances. While love is central, hate is an omnipresent theme.
Mortensen portrays Olsen, and Vivienne is played by Luxembourger Vicky Krieps, whom the actor-director lavishes with praise. "She would be a stellar Oscar contender, but I know she won't be, as the Academy overlooks independent cinema," he remarks.
The western genre, which cinema revisits periodically, has left a significant mark on Mortensen, who grew up watching westerns. When asked which films influenced him the most, he responds, "The list would be too extensive to enumerate here."
Source link: https://www.euronews.com
