Viggo Still Serious About Quitting Acting

It was one of those one-off comments that I'm not sure people put much stock in at the time, but about a year ago, maybe less, Viggo Mortensen said he was hanging up his acting shoes and retiring from the industry. Of course, he had been working non-stop for almost a decade, and it was understandable that he might feel burned out, even if he was at the top of his game. But now, in advance of the release of The Road, Mortensen confirms to Men's Journal (via Worst Previews) that he's done.

"I have no plans to do another movie. I don't know what's going to happen. I'm open to seeing how I feel in a while, but right now I'm not saying yes to anything. My agent is like, 'Well, if you don't do anything, people will forget about you...' I just feel like I've taken on too much for a while."

Now, Viggo is older than he looks (50), but that's still pretty young to give up a job almost anyone would love to do. And he's still commanding interesting roles at a prodigious rate. But if he feels this way now, months after bringing up the subject, I'd put some stock in it. Will he ever return to acting? I'm sure he will. Viggo is not cut from the same cloth as a lot of leading men, so you can't give a role like Eastern Promises to a lot of guys. He has a niche, he's good at it, and even though the majority of his films aren't squarely in the mainstream, he nevertheless attracts a decent audience. But I get the feeling Viggo will pick his spots and rather than take five or six amazing roles, find a favorite among them so he can enjoy his life for a while. Let's hope he recharges his batteries and doesn't stay away long. Having said that, though, it is a very romantic notion to just leave at the peak of your powers. Few have pulled it off, but it's a classy way to go out.

Comments

[Lengthy Johnson]

Well, famous people have their problems too.

The reasonable reaction to working too much is to work less, not quit working altogether,

Only if you are well-past burnout will you try to throw everything away,

It's much better to say that you take a sabbatical and never return, that to say that you quit and be back begging in a year's time.

[SEAN]

To be honest here, I actually did take him for his word when he 1st mentioned such a ridiculous idea of quitting...I mean Viggo isnt the type of person to just say something quite significantly important about his career unless he meant it...

Now, I'am quite dissapointed and saddened by this reaffirming news...

Viggo is a great actor marvelous and underestimated in my opinion, and you can just tell he has a great spirit, I mean I'd love to hang out with this guy....

I still feel the best is ahead of him, he is on top of his game, and not only that HOLLYWOOD see's that as well, because you can be the best but if your not financed and picked by studios your nothing, thats probably the saddest part about the FILM BIZ...

I mean Paul Newman went out much further down the line than Viggo's age now...

His agent is completely right and I'm glad he's aware of that, the FILM BIZ/MUSIC BIZ loves you a minute, hates you the next, and perhaps worst of all, forgets you all together after that...

VIGGO this is a plea from a great fan of yours....DONT LEAVE YOUR TOO VALUABLE AND AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME!!!! PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS!

Once again HOLLYWOOD "found" "blew up" a great underrated actor much over due....