Viggo Mortensen:

When you meet him, it’s his Olympian composure that hits you. He takes time to look, listen and weigh his words to discuss a project close to his heart, his second achievement. After his first film. falling down centered on the reunion of a man and his declining father, Until the end of the world tells the love story of a lonely immigrant (Mortensen himself) and a Canadian woman in the American West, fiercely attached to her freedom. They will love each other, they will love each other. But when she joins the army during the civil war, she will fight her own battle against the violence of the town’s men. A look back at this vivid romantic epic set in the Wild West.

Madame Figaro. – The idea of ​​this film came from a photo of your mother. Tell us.
Viggo Mortensen. – I had this image of him as a child running through the maple forests of the northeastern United States, near the Canadian border, where he had always lived. He often told me his memories and stories he made up, fueled by his adventure books. One day I came across a landscape that reminded me of his youth, I imagined him there and my mind transported me to the 19th.^e century before wandering into something else entirely: a love story. However, I dedicate this film to him, because Vivienne, my heroine, has her own temperament. Although she was a mother of three children and a housewife of her time, she was a free thinker of incredible strength.

Is that the beginning of your passion for cinematography?
Completely. When I was 4 years old, he showed me Lawrence of Arabia, is 6 years old Man for eternity later, Argentinian films… Even in adulthood, when I went to see him, we went to the movies and discussed together. In another life, he could have been a screenwriter.

What other female role models have you modeled yourself on?
There are so many. It was the actresses, and not the actors, who really made me play; Rene Jeanne Falconetti The Passion of Joan of Arc Meryl Streep Journey to the End of Hell And Sophie’s ChoiceJessica Lange in Francis, Barbara Stanwyck… I found an actress of this caliber in Vicky Cripps, exceeding all my expectations. He has extraordinary cinematography that is mysterious. A lot of emotion in the film is not expressed verbally, and I needed an actress whose look and silence were worth every word.

Was it obvious to you to play the male lead?
No more than in the first film, where I did it just to finish the financing. In this one, I lost my actor shortly before shooting. I was an easy out, but the character had to be rewritten a bit to suit my age.

In my film, I lost my actor shortly before shooting, so I was an easy out

Viggo Mortensen

Why did you choose a western to tell this love story?
I followed my instinct. My heroine opens new horizons as a woman and as an individual. She doesn’t accept the boundaries that a handful of men want to impose on her, and I found it important to anchor her in an era where boundaries were almost non-existent, an era that reflects an area that remains to be explored and conquered.

Presenting so much avant-garde was a political choice.
No way. I don’t like ideological films, and even less I like filmmakers who talk about their cinema in terms of concept. This worries me deeply. For me, the most important thing is to have a good story to capture the viewer’s attention. Then, instead of highlighting everything in the script and direction, I prefer the viewer to draw their own conclusions.

You were surrounded by women in key positions on the set…
I prefer their energy. Filming can be very stressful, and I noticed that the women were overcoming obstacles without screaming, without it turning into chaos. Of course, there are exceptions, but in general I consider their approach more constructive. And I can’t imagine working in a conflict situation. I was lucky to have very good teachers like David Cronenberg, Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic, Editor’s Note) or Jane Campion, who showed me that we can collaborate respectfully, listening, and calmly.

I have to fall in love with a role to accept it

Viggo Mortensen

Any acting projects?
Not at this time. You have to pay the rent, but I have to fall in love with the role to accept it because between prep, shooting and promotion, we spend a lot of time with our characters. Moreover, even if the work of some filmmakers still excites me, my enjoyment as an actor has diminished a little. When faced with a difficult filmmaker, I no longer have the same patience. For now, I am already thinking about the third film. This is where my first wish comes in.

As an actor, is aging a source of anxiety?
I took a long time to see the roles develop. I was no longer old enough to play the adventure hero. The passage of time limits the options, but fighting it psychologically or through surgery is, in my opinion, the best way to be unhappy. It is much harder for women to handle the pressure and some give up and convert. I do not judge them, but the result is the opposite of what was expected. facial retouching limits role possibilities more than admitting age. This is also true for actors who increasingly respond to these instructions. Resistance is the only option for me. When I wake up all over in pain or my face is wrinkling, I pray there aren’t too many witnesses. When someone hands me a photo of me from twenty years ago, it’s a shock. But I try not to be arrogant and accept life as it is.

Until the end of the world , Viggo Mortensen, Vicky Cripps, Solly McLeod and…
In cinemas from May 1.