MARRAKECH – Nominated three times for the Best Actor Academy Award, including in “Eastern Promises” by his dear friend and close collaborator David Cronenberg, and best known for playing Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings” by Peter Jackson, actor Viggo Mortensen is also a big fan of Marrakech.

He has returned for the 20th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival, which wrapped this weekend, to give an In Conversation session, talking about his career, and to present Lisaandro Alonso’s 146-minute drama “Eureka,” which premiered in Cannes (read our review).

Continue reading Viggo Mortensen Talks His Western ‘The Dead Don’t Hurt,’ Vicky Krieps, Choosing Acting Roles & More [Marrakech Film Fest] at The Playlist.

After a relatively slow start to the year, on the film front, at least, February looks to provide a larger range of films across streaming platforms (and some still only available in theaters.) There’s a decent mix of awards hopefuls, feel-good romances, and experimental indie films in the mix, with trilogy finales, directorial debuts, and knock-out performances from Anthony Hopkins and Daniel Kaluuya to look forward to.

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2021

The movie world, as it has been for nearly a year now, remains in flux, but looking ahead it’s comforting to see there’s still plenty on the docket that we’ll be able to immerse ourselves in, including plenty that aren’t even listed below.

Continue reading 11 Movies To See In February: ‘Cherry,’ ‘Land,’ ‘Judas’ & More at The Playlist.

Viggo Mortensen has had a lot of acclaim and a lot of respected turns in films like “Captain Fantastic,” “A Dangerous Method,” “Eastern Promises,” “The Road,” “Jauja,” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. He is Oscar-nominated and has been recognized by Screen Actors Guild, the Golden Globes, and BAFTA, but one thing he hasn’t done until now is direct.

Continue reading ‘Falling’ Trailer: Viggo Mortensen’s Directorial Debut Is About A Gay Man Coming To Terms With His Homophobic Father at The Playlist.

With “Falling,” Viggo Mortensen does it all. He stars in, wrote, and directed, and composed the score for the film. The “Falling” trailer gives fans a taste of what they can expect.

READ MORE: Viggo Mortensen Talks ‘Falling’ Criticism About Playing A Gay Man: “You’re Assuming I’m Completely Straight”

The movie looks back at a grueling and emotionally-draining father-son relationship between the conservative Willis (Lance Henriksen) and his gay son John (Mortenson).

Continue reading ‘Falling’ Trailer: Viggo Mortensen Makes His Directorial Debut Now Arriving Feb 2021 at The Playlist.

Over the past several years, a lot more attention has been paid to how Hollywood casts LGBTQ+ characters in films and TV projects. In years past, it was common for straight actors to play gay characters and be praised for their “brave” career choices. Now, we’re seeing more inclusion in casting, with many gay actors landing roles of gay characters, possibly adding more authenticity to the performance. And one of the recent films to receive a bit of backlash for its casting choices is “Falling,” which features Viggo Mortensen playing the role of a gay man.

Continue reading Viggo Mortensen Talks ‘Falling’ Criticism About Playing A Gay Man: “You’re Assuming I’m Completely Straight” at The Playlist.

After weeks of “will they or won’t they?” the Cannes Film Festival was recently officially canceled due to COVID-19. However, in place of trying to emulate the “digital” festival model that folks like SXSW and Tribeca put on earlier this spring, the organizers of the prestigious French event decided to forgo any screenings of films, digital or otherwise, and instead just release a list of films that make up its 2020 “Official Selections.” And now, thanks to the recent announcement, we know the 56 films that would have been selected to play at this year’s Cannes.

Continue reading Cannes 2020 Line-up: Wes Anderson’s ‘French Dispatch,’ 2 New Steve McQueen Movies & Much More at The Playlist.

In 1984, Viggo Mortensen debuted as a Lieutenant in a George Washington miniseries. Since then, he’s portrayed a once and future king in the Tolkein universe, a father navigating the apocalypse, a Russian hitman, and a prejudiced personal driver. However, until now, he’s never directed. And though an accomplished author, “Falling” marks Moretensen’s first screenplay to successfully enter into production as well. The film—for which he stars as John, the gay son of Willis (Lance Henriksen)—hopes to demonstrate the love between father and son rising above bad memories and horrific political differences.

Continue reading ‘Falling’: Viggo Mortensen’s Directorial Debut Is An Exhausting Mess [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.