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Total Film sat down with Viggo Mortensen this morning to discuss A Dangerous Method , the Danish-American actor’s third collaboration with director David Cronenberg.
Mortensen received a Golden Globe nomination for his superb portrayal of Sigmund Freud in the psychoanalysis-themed period piece, but the film failed to earn any nominations for the BAFTAs or the Oscars.
We asked the former King of Gondor if he was disappointed that the film had been overlooked?
“[ It’s been ] totally overlooked, hasn’t it? I was particularly surprised at the BAFTA, y’know? It’s an English movie and, well, I guess when I look at some of the things that are nominated, the fact that we didn’t even get on the longlist of 15 candidates… I have to assume that it’s owing to not enough people having seen the movie.
“I’d hate to think it was simply a question of general ignorance and lack of individual imagination on the part of the voters [ Smiles ]. I’d hate to think it was that. I’d have to assume that [ enough of them ] didn’t see the movie. [ Laughs ] I hope that’s why! Because otherwise it’s baffling.”
So, do nominations mean a lot to him personally?
“They help people want to see the movie. Basically it’s a business thing. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter because obviously it’s kind of a lottery, isn’t it? Kind of a popularity contest that to some degree can be forced by promotion, or to a great degree, and again, if people see the movie then they can judge.
“I would like to have seen our movie recognised. I would certainly like David Cronenberg to be recognised. I don’t know if he’s ever been nominated for a directing [ BAFTA award ], I know he never has been for an Oscar or a Golden Globe which is startling to me still.
“But I don’t care about it in any sense other than, well, to some degree it would be a vindication of his work and our work on the movie, but it helps put people on seats, it helps people see the movie in theatres.
"If you can put in your newspaper ad ‘Nominated: Best Director’ Bafta, Oscar, Whatever, or Actor or Best Movie, obviously when you’re deciding what movie you’re going to see Friday or Saturday night, that does influence people.”
Look out for the full interview with Viggo Mortensen on TotalFilm.com next week.
A Dangerous Method opens on 10 February 2012.
Read Total Film’s A Dangerous Method review .
