Reports are everywhere today that Viggo Mortensen turned down a role in Peter Jackson’s ‘The Hobbit.’ The headline implication being he was specifically asked to reprise the role and turned it down. The reports are wrong (in fact, most are removing a critical word in the quote). Here’s the exact excerpt from The Guardian’s interview with Viggo Mortensen:
In Peter Jackson’s Hobbit film, several of the Rings cast reprised their roles. Was he asked to take part? “No. Before they started shooting, back in 2008, one of the producers did ask if I would be interested. I said, ‘You do know, don’t you, that Aragorn isn’t in The Hobbit? That there is a 60-year gap between the books?'”
Viggo’s immediate answer to the question is ‘No.’ He was NOT asked to take part. Secondly, he was asked in 2008, when The Hobbit screenplay and pre-production was in its most early stages. The producer who asked the question probably asked the same to every single LOTR cast member to gage the writing team’s options for the script.
Further proof from a Movies.com story:
“At one point, the producers asked if I would do it and I said sure, if Aragorn is supposed to be in the bridge story, because he’s not in The Hobbit,” he said. “But I’ve never been asked and they’re shooting the movie. I’m not in it unless there is some last-minute plan they have, but I thought I would have heard of it by now.”
This is probably the same producer from 2008 and in this quote he clearly says he WOULD reprise the role.
And final proof lies in a recent Total Film interview:
“Would I play Aragorn again? Sure, if it seemed sensible to do so,” Mortensen told Total Film magazine.
“He’s not in the book of The Hobbit, but if they’re working with the appendices they may be intending to bridge the 60-year Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings gap.”
“I think I would have heard by now so I have to assume… But Peter Jackson is famous for his reshoots, so you never know!”
So there you have it. You can completely ignore the slew of articles from larger new services today. Viggo is clear he WOULD reprise the role of Aragorn in ‘The Hobbit’ films IF it made sense in the script. And here’s something to whet your whistle. Our spies are reporting they have seen Viggo hanging around New Zealand. So you never know folks! You never know!
Read the full The Guardian interview for some additional quotes from Viggo and whether he has seen the ‘Hobbit’ film yet. [Read More]
