Viggo Mortensen was born in 1958 in New York City.   His father is Dutch and his mother is American.   He was raised in Europe and South America.   He made his debut as an Amish farmer in Peter Weir’s “Witness”.   His other films include “The Lord of the Rings” series, “Psycho” and “28 Days”.

TCM Overview:

Getting his start in forgettable grade-B movies and so-called “other man” roles, actor Viggo Mortensen made a slow, steady climb up the ranks to become one of Hollywood’s most reliable and in-demand talents. Though he had little trouble finding work, Mortensen spent a good deal of time looking for that one breakthrough that would catapult his career. That springboard came with a leading role in the epic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy (2001-03), in which he played a heroic, but displaced king in a fictional land beset by evil. Because of his being a central character in one of the biggest, most beloved trilogies in cinema history, Mortensen had a wealth of opportunities open up to him, including the critically acclaimed and award-nominated “History of Violence” (2005). Exceedingly humble about success and uncharacteristically un-Hollywood, Mortensen managed to stay somewhat reclusive and focused on other interests outside of acting, namely painting and writing poetry, despite becoming one of the most recognizable stars in the world.

  Interview in “Irish Times” here.