Viggo Mortensen Interview

[arikara]

Sure, he’s cute. Well, not cute. Strikingly, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. But the most intriguing thing about Viggo Mortensen, who played King Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and who recently won critical acclaim for his leading role in the latest David Cronenberg release, A History of Violence, is how much he loves to talk politics.

When I called him in July to interview him for The Progressive, he had returned from four months’ shooting the forthcoming Spanish historical epic, Alatriste. He sounded exhausted, as though he could barely hold the phone, but when we started talking about the war in Iraq, the Bush Administration, and the role of actors and artists in mainstream political discourse, he didn’t feel like sleeping. Eventually, I had to tell him I was tired.

<snip>

Q: What was your reaction to Katrina?

Mortensen: Cindy Sheehan and how badly Katrina was bungled are two shots to the heart. I hope the beast does fall down soon. What’s more shameful than the criminal negligence that made a bad situation much, much worse is the arrogant attitude after the fact. The outright lying—even though we’ve become accustomed to lying from this Administration—has broken new ground in the field of dishonesty. They’re so clumsy in their attempts to come off well. And there is so little heart in what they say. Even the sound of their voices is so false.

Q: Are you anti-Bush, as the pundits say?

Mortensen: No, I’m not anti-Bush; I’m anti-Bush behavior. In other words, I’m against cheating, greed, cruelty, racism, imperialism, religious fundamentalism, treason, and the seemingly limitless capacity for hypocrisy shown by Bush and his Administration.

Q: What’s wrong with pinning it all on Bush?

Mortensen: It’s too easy, and it lets a lot of people off the hook. I think impeachment proceedings need to be started immediately but not just against him. God forbid we should have Dick Cheney as President. No. Those two need to go, and many of the others in the inner circle need to go.

<snip>


http://progressive.org/mag_intv1105

[AllegroRondo]

1. he was great on the Daily Show

a couple weeks ago.

[quiet.american]

2. Bush and his minions so remind me of orchs.

Long live King Aragorn.

[President Jesus]

3. Viggo is a Dean donor

documentation: http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Viggo_Mortensen.php

not a very generous one, but a Deanie nonethelsss.

[Larkspur]

6. I love Viggo even more!

Viggo/Dean '08!!!!

Always loved Viggo's love of horses and how he bought the stallion that was used as Shadowfax for the LOTR female trainer who trained him how to ride. Note: I'm a horse owner too so I dig guys like Viggo.

[goddess40]

4. He's such a great guy

I wish we had more like him, and our fellow DU posters.

I sure wouldn't mind being stranded on an island with Viggo!

[Martin Eden]

5. What’s wrong with pinning it all on Bush?

Good point. A few months ago when I was wasting my time trying to debate feeper types in another forum, I made a point of referring to "the Bush administration" rather than Bush, unless there was something specific to the president.

When you pin it all on "Bush" you get dismissed as a "Bush-hater" -- someone with irrational ad hominem, rather than legitimate arguguments.

I don't care what they think, but it was a good exercise in crafting arguments that can't easily be dismissed.