Viggo Mortensen declares his support for Ukraine: Lord Of The Rings star, 65, slams ‘Russian aggression’ during red carpet interview for his new western film ‘The Dead Don’t Hurt’
Actor Viggo Mortensen expressed support for Ukraine and denounced “Russian aggression” during red carpet interviews for his new Western film.
The Lord of The Rings star arrived at the Glasgow Film Festival wearing the Ukrainian trident symbol, the country’s coat of arms, on his shirt.
The 65-year-old said: ‘We support them against Russian aggression, against people who turn a blind eye to it. In Russia, but especially abroad.’
In the US, Republicans have tried to block military aid to Ukraine in a recent partisan clash with Democrats in Congress over immigration.
However, Mortensen does not want to be informed further about what leaders in the West should do to support the Eastern European country.
The American has a history of political outspokenness and has frequently criticized former President Donald Trump during his time in office.
Viggo Mortensen arrived at the Glasgow Film Festival with the Ukrainian trident symbol, the country’s coat of arms, on his shirt
In the US, Republicans have tried to block military aid to Ukraine in a partisan clash with Democrats in Congress over immigration (photo: A partially destroyed factory on the outskirts of Toretsk, Ukraine)
The Lord of The Rings star would not be drawn further on what leaders in the West should do to support Ukraine
Ahead of the 2020 elections, Mortensen said Variety: ‘If he (Trump) somehow wins, I don’t know if the United States will ever get itself back on track.
“It will do much more quantitative damage than he has done in the last four years, not only to the United States and the environment, but also to the rest of the world.”
He also expressed vocal support for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders as the Democratic candidate in the 2016 elections.
However, once Hillary Clinton was elected, Mortensen said he would instead support Dr. Jill Stein of the American Green Party, as he believed Clinton was “just dishonest.”
Mortensen was in the Scottish capital to promote his new film The Dead Don’t Hurt, in which he is director, producer, film star and composer.
He said that much of the film was composed and shot before they started filming, saying, “It helps me find the rhythm and know how long the scene should last in some cases, and what the atmosphere is that we hope to convey.’
The film has been “years in the making,” said Mortensen, who said he grew up on Westerns and horseback riding.
“Most Westerns are predictable and naive, but every now and then there’s a really good story in them,” he said.
If you look closely, you will notice a prop that appeared in the trilogy and led to international fame for the American actor.
Mortensen was in the Scottish capital to promote his new film The Dead Don’t Hurt with his co-star Solly McLeod
At one point, a dream sequence shows a medieval knight holding a sword – it’s Anduril, the reforged weapon wielded by Mortensen’s character Aragorn in The Lord Of The Rings.
Mortensen said he requested permission to bring the knife back to the big screen, saying, “I couldn’t think of a better sword than this.”
‘So I asked Peter Jackson and the film company that made The Lord Of The Rings if I could get permission
‘He said, ‘What do you do with it, how important (is it?)’
“I said you’ll be lucky if you even notice, and that’s true.”
He said his mother’s side of his family had links to Scotland and he was happy to be in Glasgow.
At the film festival, Mortensen received the festival’s first Cinema City Honorary Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cinema.