Viggo Mortensen - Aragorn
New York, USA, October 2003
What is your character's
defining moment ?
My defining moment ? (after a very long pause) Right off the top of my
head, I would say that whatever words or gestures that any of the members of the
Fellowship use, they say essentially the same thing... Essentially say
"yes" to the call to adventure, to go on a quest. The Council Of
Elrond is the true beginning of the story, and in fact, that is the most
important thing in Tolkien;what he emphasises the most is free will. The moment
when each of the future members of the Fellowship says yes to the adventure, to
the quest, is probably a defining... in some ways probably the defining
moment for all of them. Obviously Aragorn has shepherded, or whatever you want
to call it, [the Hobbits] - he's guided the Hobbits from Bree to Rivendell, but
it's at the Council Of Elrond when, in the movie The Fellowship Of The Ring,
Aragorn says "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will."
That is the most defining moment. I mean, the most important moment for Aragorn
in The Return Of The King is, without ruining the movie, the moment that he
turns and looks at Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas, Merry, Pippin, the army of Rohan and
the army of Gondor, and simply says, "For Frodo." That would be the
defining moment of that movie for that character.
What is your fondest memory
of New Zealand ?
Memory ? I think you've talked to me before so you know how bad I am at these
kind of short answers. I'm trying to formulate one... In the sincere hope that
my experiences in New Zealand will not remain only a memory, I will say that my
fondest memory of New Zealand is, I hope, still to come.
Describe Peter Jackson in
three words.
A decent man.
Are your Rings colleagues
going to be friends for life ?
Without question.
Why do you think Rings has
been so successful ?
Because it's a true story.
What is your favourite piece
of Lors Of The Rings memorabilia ?
Compassion.
Which of the other roles
would you like to have played ?
I can't really separate them. I can't hold them apart. I can't make them... I
can't even imagine a single character in the greater Fellowship in isolation,
which is, I think, the strength of the story and the strength of the experience.
What was the toughest thing
you had to do ?
The absence from my son. I don't think he has regrets, and neither do I, about
me having gone and done and been part of it, but it's still been a long time.
That was for me personally the highest price.
How does it feel to say
goodbye ?
I won't !