As a devoted fan of the magical world created by Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, I cannot help but feel a deep sense of empathy for Viggo Mortensen, who portrayed Aragorn with such grace and dignity. The events that transpired on the set must have been both shocking and disheartening for him, to be let go from such an iconic role.
Initially, Viggo Mortensen wasn’t intended to portray Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The role was initially offered to another actor, but due to unexpected changes, Mortensen received a last-minute call from New Zealand to take on the iconic character. This sudden opportunity led him to deliver one of his most impactful performances, all thanks to a 12-year-old boy’s recommendation.
The original actor
Initially, director Peter Jackson contemplated various candidates for the character of Aragorn, among them Russell Crowe, Nicolas Cage, Dougray Scott, and Daniel Day-Lewis. However, it was Stuart Townsend, an Irish actor, who initially got the part as Aragorn. Yet, Townsend unfortunately had to give up the role when Jackson experienced a pivotal realization – the actor simply wasn’t fitting for the role. At 27 years old, he was deemed too young for the part.
Certainly, I found myself quite disappointed when the news broke. I had spent countless hours preparing for the opportunity, only to be let go a single day before filming commenced. According to me, it seems that the director was seeking a more seasoned actor and didn’t grasp this requirement until later in the casting process.
In his bonus features for The Fellowship of the Ring, Jackson openly acknowledges that there was a small issue during the casting stage because an actor had already been chosen to play Aragorn. He later realized that they may have cast the role somewhat prematurely, as he was perhaps a bit too young at the time.
The filmmaker explained that it became quite challenging since they were continuously filming, yet had a restricted number of days to do so without the character of Aragorn being present.
Viggo’s son saves the day
So, what transpired subsequently? Jackson’s crew found themselves in a predicament as Aragorn, a crucial character in the entire saga, was at stake. Aragorn is the monarch hinted in the title Return of the King. Jackson and his team decided to focus on Mortensen, who was then in his forties, and reached out to him from New Zealand to gauge his interest.
Mortensen recounted the phone call as having gone approximately like this: “Would you be willing to board a plane tomorrow for a trip to New Zealand?” At the time, Mortensen had no prior acquaintance with Jackson, had never visited New Zealand, and hadn’t read The Lord of the Rings books yet. He was given until later that day to make his decision.
Jackson confessed that we had high hopes for him fitting perfectly into the movie, and we were eager to have him on board immediately. In other words, we found ourselves in a difficult situation.
It’s fortunate that Henry, Mortensen’s young son, was at home with his dad when he received the call. Curious, Henry asked Viggo what the phone conversation was about, and Viggo shared that a film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings was in development, and his beloved father was being considered for the role of Aragorn. Jackson acknowledged that it was Henry, an enthusiast of the fantasy series, who encouraged his dad to relocate to New Zealand for several years and work on The Lord of the Rings.
According to Jackson’s memory, Henry was around 11 or 12 during that period. He was deeply engrossed in The Lord of the Rings series, and he became incredibly excited when he believed his father might have a chance to portray Aragorn.
Mortensen mused over the peculiar auditioning method and his son’s role, expressing, “It was touching to have his approval.
What does Townsend think about all this?
Indeed, it wasn’t a celebratory occasion for Townsend when he was switched out at the last minute for such an important part. Given the circumstances, he wouldn’t have known that the series would eventually grow as massive as it did. In 2005, he shared with Entertainment Weekly that he felt “unfairly shafted” in regards to The Lord of the Rings. Not only was he replaced, Townsend claimed he wasn’t compensated for his work.
He mentioned that for two months, he was practicing and preparing for the film, only to be let go on the very last day before shooting started. Later, he found out that they wouldn’t compensate him because he hadn’t worked a sufficient amount of time according to the contract, which he hadn’t been aware of. He had been having difficulties with them, so he was almost glad to depart until they informed him he wouldn’t receive payment.
Townsend expresses a lack of positive sentiment towards the people in charge of the Lord of the Rings films, stating clearly that he doesn’t feel favorably about them.
As a dedicated fan, I can’t hide my sentiments when it comes to the individuals running things – they’re just not to my liking at all. Peter Jackson initially expressed interest in me, but apparently, he had a change of heart. It seemed he was searching for someone older by around 20 years and with a completely different profile compared to myself.
It’s impossible to say for certain how playing Aragorn would have affected Townsend’s professional trajectory, but it’s likely his stardom would have been more prominent. Notably, he portrayed Dorian Gray in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen during the same year as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Since then, he has appeared on TV shows such as Robot Chicken, XIII: The Series, Betrayal, Elementary, and Law & Order. According to his IMDb page, Townsend is slated to star in four upcoming movies.
How did the cast react?
The Lord of the Rings is a series about a tight-knit group of characters who go on an epic journey together, forming lifelong bonds of friendship. The Lord of the Rings bonus features and interviews since the movies came out make it clear that the cast were close as well like their characters were. Townsend getting booted from the film came as a shock to some of the actors, including Dominic Monaghan, who played Merry.
He shared with Manchester Evening News that Townsend departed rather hastily, and he remembered the swift manner in which they and the other hobbits were notified about his imminent exit.
During the first week’s final days on set, producer Barrie Osborne asked the four hobbits to linger during wrap-up time. He wanted to discuss something with them personally, along with Peter Jackson.
Initially, Monaghan believed he was going to hear good news about the successful filming of the week and Jackson inviting him to relax over the weekend. But things didn’t turn out as expected. Instead, Monaghan and his co-actors learned that Townsend was no longer involved in the project.
Initially, we were all taken aback, I hadn’t expected anyone to be let go at that stage, I assumed things were going well for Stuart. However, it turned out differently. Sean [Astin] asked, “Has he quit the project or been dismissed?” It seemed they wanted to shield Stuart as much as possible. They merely stated, “Stuart will explain the situation to you, but he is no longer part of our team.
During the early 2000s, connecting with people was a lot harder, Monaghan noted. Regarding Townsend, he simply vanished, the actor stated.
As a devoted follower, I can certainly empathize with his situation. It was a significant setback for him, yet relentless the pace was. We were consistently engrossed, only getting a day’s rest each week. The hours we put in were beyond ordinary. There wasn’t even room to grieve, as we were frantically memorizing lines and keeping everything afloat. Monaghan expressed this accurately.
Mortensen’s legacy
The production of The Lord of the Rings turned out to be a massive endeavor, as all three movies were filmed simultaneously to cut costs, eventually leading to a monumental success. Critics adored the films, particularly Return of the King which dominated at the Oscars. Moreover, these epic movies raked in an impressive $3 billion globally at the box office. Subsequently, Peter Jackson continued his streak with another trilogy for The Hobbit, which was commercially successful but didn’t resonate as positively with fans and critics compared to its predecessor.
Regarding Mortensen, Aragorn continues to be one of his most recognized characters and a topic he still discusses today, more than two decades after the initial film release. Not long ago, Mortensen expressed his readiness to reprise his role as Aragorn in the upcoming Lord of the Rings movie, The Hunt for Gollum, provided the narrative was compelling enough.
He expressed that he enjoys playing this particular character as it provides a learning experience. He found great pleasure in the role. However, he clarified that he would only reprise the role if he fit the character well, considering his current age and other factors. Essentially, he stated that doing the role without proper fit would be ill-advised.
Mortensen’s impact on The Lord of the Rings goes beyond the epic story, reaching into popular internet culture through memes and cherished humor. His broken toe incident during the filming of The Two Towers, which was immortalized on screen, has become a legendary tale online.
Beyond his iconic role as Aragorn, Mortensen has also garnered three Academy Award nominations, for performances in Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic, and Green Book. Interestingly, he remains connected to The Lord of the Rings, having directed and acted in the 2023 film The Dead Don’t Hurt, which incorporates a delightful reference to the franchise through the inclusion of Aragorn’s sword, Andúril.
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2024-09-27 18:39