Getting his start in B-movies and so-called “other men” roles, actor Viggo Mortensen has slowly and steadily climbed the ranks to become one of Hollywood’s most trusted and in-demand talents . Although he had no difficulty finding work, Mortensen spent a lot of time searching for the breakthrough that would catapult his career. That springboard came with a starring role in the epic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy (2001-03), in which he played a heroic but displaced king in a fictional land beset by evil. As the central character in one of the most important and beloved trilogies in cinematic history, Mortensen had a multitude of opportunities open to him, including “A History of Violence” (2005) , the critically acclaimed Russian mafia drama “Eastern Promises” (2007), the post-apocalyptic philosophical drama “The Road” (2009) and the independent family comedy-drama “Captain Fantastic” (2016). successful and unusually un-Hollywood, Mortensen managed to remain somewhat reclusive and concentrate on other interests outside of acting, namely painting and writing poetry, although he became one of the most recognizable stars in the world.