Viggo Mortensen was presented with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Award at the Arlington Theatre on Saturday. 
Accompanied by a rainbow, Viggo Mortensen arrives at the Arlington Theatre. 
Emily C. Chang and Sam Friedlander from Babysplitters. 
Arto Halonen and Josh Lucas. 
The rain couldn’t keep fans away from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Saturday. 
Viggo Mortensen arrives at the Arlington Theatre. 
Viggo Mortensen was interviewed by film critic Pete Hammond. 
Ed Harris.
Critically acclaimed actor Viggo Mortensen was presented with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s American Riviera Award on Saturday for his Academy Award-nominated work in The Green Book alongside Mahershala Ali. Mortensen was feted at a late afternoon tribute held at the Arlington Theatre.
The event was delayed an hour due to Saturday’s downpours and the closure of Highway 101. When Mortensen took the stage with interviewer and film critic Pete Hammond, he quipped, “Me and my friends are stubborn. After driving from Los Angeles, Ed Harris and I had to pull off at Camarillo. Miraculously, Santa Barbara Aviation flew down to get us. The one time that I am actually getting an award, not just nominated, I really wanted to be here to accept it!”
During his 34-year career, Mortensen has been nominated for three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.
The American Riviera Award was established by SBIFF to recognize actors who have made a significant contribution to American cinema. Mortensen joins a list of previous recipients, including Sam Rockwell, Jeff Bridges, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Robert Redford, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Annette Bening, Sandra Bullock, Mickey Rourke, Tommy Lee Jones, Forest Whitaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane.
When asked by Hammond how he got interested in acting, Mortensen said, “When I was 21 or 22 I started to go to revival movie houses, where I would watch classic movies that were 20 to 50 years old. I found some of the actors’ performances so transforming. I forgot that I was in a theater. I tried to learn what the actor trick was.
“Later, I was lucky to play many small parts during my career that prepared me for larger roles,” he continued. “I learned to be flexible and work with many different personalities. What is most important to me in choosing a film is the story, the role, and then the director — in that order.”
Born in New York City, Mortensen’s family moved to South America where his father, Viggo Sr., managed chicken farms and ranches in Venezuela and Argentina. He lived in South America from the age of 2 to 11. He speaks fluent English, Spanish, Danish, French, Arabic, Catalan, Swedish and Norwegian and is also a master swordsman and horseman.
He graduated from St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., then moved to Denmark where he began writing poetry and short stories while working odd jobs, from dock worker, truck driver to flower seller.
In 1982, he moved back to New York City and found work waiting tables and began taking acting classes. Eventually he moved to Los Angeles. He made his film debut with a small part in Peter Weir’s 1985 film, Witness. He then appeared in Salvation! Have You Said Your Prayers Today?
In 1999, he got a phone call about a movie he knew nothing about: The Lord of the Rings. At first, he didn’t want to do it, because it would mean time away from his son. But his son Henry, a big fan of the books, said he shouldn’t turn down the role. Eventually, the success of Lord of the Rings and Mortensen’s role as Aragorn/Strider made him a household name.
His diverse movie projects include Jane Campion’s The Portrait of a Lady (1996), Sean Penn’s The Indian Runner (1991), Brian De Palma’s Carlito's Way (1993), Ridley Scott’s G.I. Jane (1997), Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide (1995), Andrew Davis’ La pistola de mi hermano, Hidalgo (2004), and most recently in 2018 Peter Farrelly’s Green Book.
Mortensen is also a jazz musician, poet, photographer and painter. He is the editor of Perceval Press, an independent publishing house, which he founded in 2002.
“I like to give ‘small’ authors and artists an opportunity to publish,” he said.
Presenting the American Riviera Award was actor and director Ed Harris, who co-wrote, directed and starred along with Mortensen in the 2008 western Appaloosa.
“Viggo has an amazing work ethic and is a master horseman and swordsman,” he said. “But most important, he is a man of his word. And, I am honored to call him my friend.”
The 34th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival continues through Feb. 9. Click here for more information.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Rochelle Rose can be reached at rrose@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.