Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Peter Mortensen (New York, October 20, 1958) is an American actor and film director of Danish descent. He has been nominated three times for the Academy Awards, four times for the Golden Globes and once for the Goya Awards for his performances. He is also a poet, musician, photographer and painter.

His father is Danish and his mother American. His maternal grandfather was from Nova Scotia (Canada) and his maternal grandmother from New England (United States). The couple had met in Norway and married in the Netherlands in a Lutheran ceremony. Although his paternal family were farmers in Denmark, his father went into business and, hoping to make a fortune, moved his family (Viggo has two younger brothers) to South America in 1960. The family settled in Buenos Aires, Argentina, often spending holidays back in Denmark at the family farm, the Mortensen farm. The family ultimately settled in Argentina, where Mortensen lived until the age of eleven, in the provinces of Chaco, Buenos Aires and Córdoba. At six or seven years old, Viggo began writing his first short stories. There he learned Spanish with a Río de la Plata accent. After his parents divorced, he returned to New York with his mother and two brothers. There he graduated in Politics and Spanish from St. Lawrence University in 1980.

After two years living in Denmark without yet deciding on a professional career, he returned to Manhattan to finally study acting at the Warren Robertson's Theatre Workshop. He spent several years in theater, first in New York and later in Los Angeles, where his performance in the play Bent earned him the Dramalogue Critics' Award.

Awards and recognition:

Winner in 2020 of the Donostia Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival

Oscar nominee in 2018 for Best Actor for Green Book

Golden Globe nominee in 2018 for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for Green Book

BAFTA Award nominee for Best Actor for Green Book

Oscar nominee in 2016 for Best Actor for Captain Fantastic

Golden Globe nominee in 2016 for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for Captain Fantastic

BAFTA Award nominee in 2016 for Best Actor for Captain Fantastic

Golden Globe nominee in 2011 for Best Supporting Actor for A Dangerous Method

Oscar nominee in 2007 for Best Actor for Eastern Promises

Golden Globe nominee in 2007 for Best Actor – Drama for Eastern Promises

BAFTA Award nominee in 2007 for Best Actor for Eastern Promises

Goya Award nominee in 2006 for Best Actor for Alatriste

Winner in 2003 of the Screen Actors Guild Award for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.