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In the third movie, Aragorn will become the leading character. Are you
aware of that responsibility ?
Viggo
Mortensen : I don't know if he is the central character, even though it's called
The Return Of The King. It's true that in the second and third parts of the story he has to face more and more responsibilities. But Peter Jackson was faithful to Tolkien's point of view, making no character always heroic, always brave or always good. Aragorn and all the other characters have doubts and have to face challenges. I think
it's more interesting when stories and movies are like that. I tried to remain true to Tolkien's intentions regarding that.
How was your adaptation to such a long stay in New
Zealand ?
VM
: I lived in Argentina between my 2 and 11 years old. It had some similarities with New Zealand, because it has the same southern atmosphere, the landscape is similar, in particular down on the South Island. To me, it looked like Argentina sometimes, on account of the birds, the plants, the weather.
Which was the biggest challenge on this
production ?
VM
: Being patient was everyone's biggest attribute. There is a saying in New Zealand that, more or less, goes like this,
'One task at a time, each task a success'. And the work was done like that, shot by shot, day by day, overcoming every unforeseen obstacle as it came up, with everyone's commitment.
Was it a
harder job than the other movies on which you have worked ?
VM
: It was only longer. I didn't work more on this movie than on any other. I worked for a larger period of time. I realized right from the start that this story was much better than the usual, better than the ones I usually work in. There was this sort of common understanding between the all crew, of doing the movie right, of respecting Tolkien, as well as
Peter Jackson, in his attempt of marrying the book with the properties of another language, movie language in this case.
Some moments must have been truly hard.
VM
: Of course there were some difficult moments for everyone. The fact that Peter Jackson knew exactly what he was doing made everything less terrible. But there
was plenty of fun moments. It's always like that. There are times when you are tired and get depressed, days that go wrong. But it's a
single day. The fact that everybody cared a lot for the story made it all much easier. I always felt the support of all others and I hope that they have felt my support as well. That makes a lot of difference. In many ways, this was the best work I've ever
done. And there was no short cut to get there. It really needed to be as difficult as it was. This movie is believable not because of the special effects, that are obviously the best you can get, but
because of the
hard work and compromise of everyone doing their best.
What did you
know about Peter Jackson ?
VM
: Nothing, besides having seen Heavenly Creatures and Meet the
Feebles. Afterwards I saw some of his earlier movies. They all have their qualities and show that the one
who made them is not afraid of showing anything. Many other directors would have avoided certain type of images, more uncomfortable, I'd
say. Peter Jackson had no hesitations about showing raw images and emotions. It's one less barrier between the viewer and the screen. No matter how
"reality-cinema" it is, it will always be celluloid. It's always a projection, an act.
It's never us, but you can see us or feel us in a way much more closer to normal than what is normal in other movies.
Viggo Mortensen also paints. Did you discuss some of the visual aspects of the movie with Peter
Jackson ?
VM
: He didn't have much time to discuss with anybody once we've started to shoot. He had been preparing the movie for some years now. When I was hired for the part they had been shooting for two weeks already. The
preparations with the directors of the artistic team of the movies had already started a couple of years before. After we started shooting, he never stopped and it's going to be like that until the third one comes out.
Did you
manage to dedicate yourself to any of your other activities during the
shooting ?
VM
: I left some unfinished paintings. Some I eventually finished. In the middle of the shooting I had to prepare an exhibit with some pictures, one I was already spoken for, in
NY. But I'm arranging a larger exhibition with most of my pictures
and paintings, most of which were done while I was in New Zealand. It will be in Los Angeles, alongside with a book.
You also write poetry. Did you have the chance of
including some in the movie ?
VM
: It was a bit risky to do it. I would've liked to see more. But in a movie you can't be always including poetry. There are some things that we did, mostly with the elven language, both in song and spoken.
But the movie as an all, do you find it
poetic ?
VM
: Yes, now that you say it.
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