Having spent as long as he has in this movie making business, Viggo Mortensen has learned a thing or two about how to stay at the top of your game as an actor. The actor recently sat down with Variety to talk about his new comedy drama Captain Fantastic. But that doesn't mean he wasn't willing to discuss other topics. Such as spilling his trade secrets as a 58-year old. Or what the US election says about the media.
In short, the Danish-American opened up on all topics with the publication for their Playback podcast.
Always engaging on screen, the mainstay of the film industry spans quite the career and diversity as a body of work. From The Lord of the Rings franchise to A History of Violence, The Road, G.I. Jane, The Indian Runner and Carlito's Way alongside Al Pacino, Mortensen is the ideal sounding board for aspiring actors coming through.
Secret To Success: Be Smart and Up To Date On Film
With a glitter CV behind him and continuing to forge through with edgy films, how does he stay so motivated to be an actor at the highest level approaching his 60s?
“I think you have to be lucky,” Mortensen reveals. “You have to get opportunities but you also have to be ready for those opportunities. You have to work and you have to be prepared, not only so you can take advantage of a good role if it comes along, or a good opportunity, but to even recognize that it’s a good opportunity, to pay attention, watch movies, study the way people do things.”
Starring in Captain Fantastic, a Matt Ross-directed production that looks at a family integrating into society after years of isolation, Mortensen could not speak highly enough of the behind-the-scenes folks who made the movie possible.
“It always helps as an actor if, not only the cast, but the crew is really into the story,” the actor explained. “Everybody that was working on this movie, whether we were in the woods of Washington state or on the road between Washington state and New Mexico or in the southern heat of New Mexico, all of these people were passionate about the story. They were really glad they were a part of the team … It helps you not feel silly making believe in front of them.”
Mortensen Not A Media Fan As US Thinks About Election Result
But that is where the niceties stopped, as the Donald Trump US election result came up for discussion.
“Mainstream media (performed) extremely poorly,” argued the Independent supporter. “I think they’ve accepted that this should be just a personality fight, which is not unusual. It’s the norm, unfortunately. That just because Jill Stein or Gary Johnson or anybody else that would have actually provided provocative questions and answers about issues that are not discussed in any profound way in the three debates that we’ve seen, which have been basically a sham. They’re not put to the test and the media basically goes along with that.”
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