Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Mortensen is an American-Danish actor, poet, musician and painter. He was cast as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy at the last minute, replacing another actor after filming had already begun.

Mortensen threw himself into the role with legendary commitment - he camped in the wilderness, learned sword fighting from a master, repaired his own costume, and became a skilled horseman during the shoot. He bought two horses from the production: the one that played Brego (Aragorn's horse) and another he had bonded with.

In addition to acting, Mortensen is an accomplished poet, photographer and painter. He founded Perceval Press, an independent publishing house, and has released several albums of music and spoken word.

His time in Queenstown and the surrounding regions left a deep impression. He has returned to New Zealand multiple times since the trilogy wrapped, and has spoken of the country's wild spaces with genuine affection.