Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Mortensen, a Best Actor nominee for "Eastern Promises," interacts with photographers at the Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif., Monday, Feb. 4, 2008.

Viggo Mortensen as Nikolai Luzhin, a driver for the Russian mob, in "Eastern Promises." Mortensen, who likes to do his own stunts, appears naked in the film while battling two thugs during an intense fight scene in a Russian bath house.

Actor Viggo Mortensen makes a peace sign before the start of a panel discussion about an upcoming mini-series entitled "The People Speak," Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008, at Emerson College in Boston. Production of the series, which is an adaptation of the book by Howard Zinn, began in Boston on Jan. 8 and will continue throughout the spring.

Liv Tyler and Viggo Mortensen kiss as they arrive for the British premiere of "Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King" at The Odeon, Leicester Square, London, Thursday Dec. 11, 2003. Tyler plays elf princess Arwen and Mortensen plays Aragorn in the third film in the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson.

Viggo Mortensen in New Line Cinema's "A History of Violence," which also stars Maria Bello, Ed Harris and William Hurt. The film was directed by David Cronenberg, who teamed up with Mortensen again for "Eastern Promises."

Viggo Mortensen during the gala premiere of the movie "A History of Violence" in Copenhagen, Denmark, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005. Mortensen's father is Danish and the actor lived in the country for a few years.

Actor Viggo Mortensen talks to the media during a press conference for the film "Alatriste" in Madrid, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2006. The film depicts the life of a Spanish soldier during the 17th century. Mortensen spent part of his childhood in South America and is fluent in Spanish.

Film director David Cronenberg, left, and actor Viggo Mortensen arrive at the San Sebastian Film Festival in northern Spain on Sept. 20, 2007. The New York-born Mortensen is also a photographer, poet and published author.

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, sworn to protect Frodo in "Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring." The movie, which premiered in 2001, was the first of a trilogy in which Mortensen played a warrior in love with an elfin princess.

Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) senses the impending danger of the warg-riding orcs in the second film of New Line Cinema's epic-adventure trilogy, 2002's "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers."

Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) prepares to face Sauron's forces of evil in the final chapter of New Line Cinema's epic adventure trilogy, 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Mortensen, who learned to ride horses as a child in Argentina, did all his own riding in the trilogy.