American actor may be known for his multiple box office successful movies like Lord of the Rings trilogy which brought him to prominence in the big screens.
But did you know that this polyglot speaks multiple languages?
Find out how many languages Viggo Mortensen speaks with some key insights on
how he was able to increase his linguistic knowledge over the years.
Table of Contents
How Many Languages Can Viggo Mortensen Speak?
Academy Award Nominee Viggo Mortensen is a well-traveled Citizen of the World.
Though he was born in New York, USA, he got to travel at a young age (Venezuela, Danmark, Argentina) which exposed him to multiple languages well before he got to adult age.
He was already fluent in over 4 languages by the time he returned to America at age 11 following his Danish father divorce from his American mother.
Today, Viggo Mortensen speak as many as 7 languages including English, Danish, Spanish, Italian, French, Norwegian, Swedish and even some Arabic.
How did Viggo Mortensen learn so many languages
It is a well-known fact that a person origin primarily influences the languages they are able to speak.
Viggo Mortensen comes from a mixed family heritage.
His late Father Viggo Peter Mortensen Sr. was a Danish man who met his wife Grace Gamble (an American born) in Norway.
The city of Trondheim, Norway is the birthplace of his paternal grandmother.
As a young boy, Viggo Mortensen was already predestined to speak multiple languages due to the English for his mom side, Danish from his father side as well as Norwegian from his grandmother influence.
Then Viggo family traveled to Venezuela, then Denmark and eventually dwelled in Buenos Aires, Argentina where his father managed farms and ranches.
During these early years, while attending primary school in Argentia, Viggo became fully fluent in Spanish.
Does Viggo Mortensen Speak Danish?
Yes, Viggo Mortensen is a native Danish Speaker because his father was Danish.
He lived in Denmark as a young boy and later on after his graduation from St Lawrence University, New York,
he returned to Copenhagen (capital of Danmark) to work as a florist.
How Well does Viggo Mortensen Speak Danish?
Viggo Mortensen speak Danish quite well because it is part of his “DNA”.
It is funny how early childhood memories linger despite passing by.
I can truly relate to this since I am able to speak an African language, I thought I had lost for many years.
Nowadays, despite living very far from Africa, my family is always impressed on how good I am at expressing myself in that language.
Does Viggo Mortensen Speak French?
We need to remember that Viggo Mortensen is a truth artist in the etymological sense of the term.
He is a musician and a published author.
He has composed the music of the movie “Falling” where he is not only an actor, but also a producer, writer, director and musician.
In order to get to this level of expertise, he must have come across several French speaking people either in Europe where he spent a great deal of time or even in New York which is as Cosmopolite as Paris itself.
Can Viggo Mortensen Speak Norwegian?
Viggo Mortensen parents met in Norway where his grandmother originates from.
As a kid, he was exposed to Norwegian enough to still remember the language.
He may not be as much at ease with it as he is in Danish just because of the lack of practice.
Still, that is much better than most people can manage for a language they do not get to speak on a consistent basis.
Is Viggo Mortensen Fluent in Italian?
Yes, Viggo Mortensen can speak Italian.
How is Viggo Mortensen Capable of speaking Italian?
After his graduation from college in 1980 with a Bachelors in Spanish Studies and politics, he went to Europe and mainly lived in Spain.
Because of the proximity between Italy and speak and the resemblance between the two Latin languages, one can imagine how Italian became part of his now large linguistic semantics.
Here is a nice video of Viggo Mortensen showcasing the 7 and more languages he speaks.
Viggo Mortensen Speaking 7 languages
How well does Viggo Mortensen speak Spanish?
Si, Senior.
We know that Viggo Mortensen speaks perfect fluent Spanish because he went to primary school in Argentia where his family was living at the time.
That enabled him to live in Spain for a while after his graduation from college.
Third evidence of his Spanish skills, he has been living with Spanish Actress Adriadna Gil since 2009.
Such a long-term relationship would cement any doubt about his ability to say I love you in Don Quichotte language.
What Languages does Viggo Mortensen Speak?
Here is a summary non-exhaustive list of the 7languages Viggo Mortensen can speak with their respective level of fluency.
Languages Viggo Mortensen Can Speak | Level of Fluency |
English | Native Speaker, Fluent |
Danish | Native Speaker, Fluent |
Norwegian | Good Enough |
Spanish | Fluent – Has Lived in Spain |
Swedish | Good Enough |
French | Good Enough to give a Speech |
Italian | Can Find his way in Rome |
Viggo Mortensen Full Bio
Viggo Mortensen has had an accomplished life in multiple places over the world.
FUN FACTS |
Full Name Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr |
Place of Birth Watertown, New York, USA |
Date of Birth (Age) October 20, 1958 (age 63 as of 2022) |
Occupation Actor | Musician | Producer | Writer |
Spouse Exene Cervenka (1987 – 1997) |
Awards Screen Actors Guild Award (2004) |
Viggo Mortensen Movies
Some of Viggo Mortensen most acclaimed movies since his breakthrough in the early 2000’s are as follows:
- 2001 | 2002 | 2003 The Lord of the Rings
- 2005 A History of Violence
- 2007 Eastern Promises
- 2009 The Road
- 2011 A Dangerous Method
- 2014 Far from Men
- 2016 Captain Fantastic
- 2018 Green Book
- 2020 Falling (Also director, writer and producer) | Cosmos (Possible Worlds)
- 2022 Crimes of the Furure| Thirteen Lives
People Also Ask FAQs about Viggo Mortensen
Who is Viggo Mortensen Wife?
Viggo Mortensen was first married to Exene Cervenka for 10 years between 1987 and 1997.
Since 2009, he has been on a long-term relationship with Spanish actress Ariadna Gil.
What is Viggo Mortensen Net Worth?
Because of his eclectic talents, Viggo Mortensen has multiple source s of income from Poetry, photography, publishing and acting of course.
Over the years, his box office successes have brought in the lion share of his wealth.
According to the latest report from Forbes, his net worth is evaluated north of $40 million.
Not bad at all for someone who used to sell flowers in Copenhagen after his graduation.
How did Viggo Mortensen Parents Meet?
Viggo Mortensen Father was Danish, and he takes his name from his late dad (May 8, 1929 – March 2, 2017) who was named Viggo Peter Mortensen Senior.
His mother’s name was Grace Gamble, an American born Citizen.
The two met in Norway.
FINAL THOUGHTS on Viggo Spoken Languages
Viggo Mortensen is a fully accomplished polyglot who can speak no less than 7 languages.
From a very young age, his traveling endeavors have enabled him to master multiple languages which have shaped the actor, writer, producer and poet we get to appreciate today.
Hold a Master Degree in Electrical engineering from Texas A&M University.
African born – French Raised and US matured who speak 5 languages.
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