Interview: Viggo Mortensen Muses on his Directorial Debut ‘Falling’

Actors don’t come much more thoughtful than Viggo Mortensen. The three time Academy Award nominee probably could have been in blockbusters at every turn, but instead has made varied work, teaming up with unique filmmakers. When it came time to make his directorial debut, there was no reason to expect something cookie cutter, and Falling is no disappointment there. The character study and drama is a haunting portrait of dementia and family, with Mortensen writing, directing, and starring alongside Lance Henriksen. As the film gears up for release next month, Mortensen was kind enough to give us some time, in the hopes of getting Henriksen the attention he deserves.

Below, you can hear my chat with Mortensen. The Falling actor/filmmaker obviously is proud of his movie, but Henriksen is really where he likes to focus during this conversation. It makes sense, too, not just because the elder actor does some truly stirring work, but because Mortensen is such a thoughtful man, you wouldn’t expect him to focus on himself. What follows is an interesting peek into how his mind works, including how he approaches stepping behind the camera. Almost anything he would have said during the interview would have fascinated me, so hopefully this discussion will intrigue you as well.

Be sure to check out my conversation with Lance Henriksen here before or after my chat with Mortensen. They make a really interesting one-two punch, if I do say so myself!

Here now is my interview with Falling helmer Viggo Mortensen. Enjoy:

Be sure to check out Mortensen’s film Falling when it opens in February!