10 Best Movies Actors Did After The Lord Of The Rings

1. Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises (2007)

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Focus Features

So, despite already featuring a film starring Viggo Mortensen in this list, it would be wrong not to pay respects to some of his other achievements over the years. Put aside his work in The Road (2009) and Captain Fantastic (2016), his portrayal of a Russian gangsta in David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises is breathtaking.

The fact he missed out on the Oscar for this role can better be understood with the knowledge that he was up against Daniel Day Lewis for There Will Be Blood. But even so this man deserves recognition.

Mortensen is perhaps the most skilled living actor from the original cast of LOTR (with the exception of Ian Mckellen and Hugo Weaving). He has such an innate ability to convey emotions through the various nuances he applies to his characters, with this film being a prime example.

Naomi Watts's character takes the audience on a deep dive into the dark underbelly of the Russian mafia in London. On a mission to discover more about the death of a young Russian girl, she becomes embroiled in the sinister goings on, with her path becoming entangled with Mortensen's character Nikolai.

As is David Cronenberg's wont, the movie is dark, gritty and troubling but for all that you cant take your eyes of the performances.

Contributor

Before engrossing myself in the written word, I spent several years in the TV and film industry. During this time I became proficient at picking things up, moving things and putting things down again.