Born in Manhattan, New York (USA) to a Danish father and an American mother, his family later moved to Argentina, where Mortensen lived until he was 11. He devoted a few years to theater and afterwards began his film career with his performance as an Amish farmer in the movie Witness. It wasn’t until 1997 that he got his big break when he received Peter Jackson’s offer to work in the project that would change the destiny of his professional career. Despite the fact that at first, Mortensen hesitated to accept the role of Aragorn in the movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings, his son, a loyal fan of J. R. R. Tolkien’s work, convinced him to participate in it. After becoming an acclaimed star, he subsequently played another leading role in David Cronenberg’s movie A History of Violence, and later he was Alatriste, the literary character created by the journalist Arturo Pérez-Reverte. With an Academy Award nomination behind him, he is one of the most renowned actors on the international film scene.
Sitges Film Festival