Why Viggo Mortensen Nearly Said No to Playing Aragorn in Lord of the Rings
It’s nearly impossible for fans to even envision Aragorn being played by any other actor than Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings. However, if the actor’s son had not convinced him, we’d have almost lost the chance to witness Mortensen as the key character.
Viggo Mortensen almost turned down the role of Aragorn not for just one reason, but many. Initially, the role was finalized for the Irish actor Stuart Townsend, but the director couldn’t see readiness in Townsend’s work, and his actions hinted at frivolity. As a result, Mortensen was given a last-minute call to helm the role, but the actor was surrounded by uncertainties and had doubts before accepting to play Aragorn.
Why Viggo Mortensen Almost Declined The Role of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings without Viggo Mortensen‘s dedication and passion in his portrayal wouldn’t have been a successful project. His casting was undeniably perfect, but little did fans know that the actor nearly rejected the role. Before Mortensen accepted to play Aragorn in the film trilogy, it was Irish actor Stuart Townsend set to play the role. However, a few weeks into production, the director decided to replace him and offer the role to the Green Book star.
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According to Far Out Magazine, Viggo Mortensen explained how he received a last-minute call to be a part of The Lord of the Rings, and said:
“And I said ‘for what?’ and they said, ‘you know, Lord Of The Rings.’ I just said, ‘well can I think about it for a minute?’ and they said, ‘well, not for very long; you have ’till this afternoon.”
The Crimes of the Future star was completely unaware of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, and what was the movie about. Mortensen wasn’t familiar with the story and the sudden offer put him in doubt whether to accept or reject the role. Thankfully, his son emerged as a great help and convinced his dad to play Aragorn. The Captain Fantastic star also mentioned his son’s fondness for the original novels, which ultimately led Viggo Mortensen to secure one of the leading characters in the successful trilogy.
Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings is Considered His Iconic Role
Even today fans continue to commend Viggo Mortensen for playing Aragorn in the trilogy, and it’s hard to say how viewers could have received the role if played by any other actor. The 28 Days star didn’t just bring Aragorn to life, he immersed himself in the character with dedication and enthusiasm.
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From urging to perform stunts himself, to learning Elvish for authenticity, Viggo Mortensen literally went above and beyond. Soon after the first film was released in 2001, fans took no time to praise the actor’s commitment to the role.
However, years after the successful trilogy, Viggo Mortensen made headlines over his comments on the sequels of the first film. In a 2014 interview with The Telegraph, the actor shared mixed feelings about the sequels. He said that 2002’s The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and especially 2003’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King lost the subtlety and organic quality of the film while criticizing the excessive use of CGI.
Watch The Lord of the Rings on Prime Video.
