It’s bizarre news that has flown all over the Internet, but like the best of rumors, it’s not actually true. Viggo-Works.com has it from a good source—reportedly Mortensen’s manager—that Viggo Mortensen will not, in fact, be stranded on a desert island with Philip Seymour Hoffman. You may remember that we reported yesterday that the two actors had been cast in Vanikoro, the true story of two castaways in the 1820s trapped on an island that may or may not feature cannibals.
I wondered out loud yesterday why on earth Mortensen would join a project directed by Xavier Gens, who made November’s forgettable Hitman. While I’m never happy to be wrong, I’m happy this rumor turns out to be a false one. Mortensen has always been very careful about picking his projects, even more so than Hoffman, and it would be a bizarre move for him at this point to join something with such questionable potential quality. No word on whether Hoffman’s still on board, but if one part of this rumor has fallen apart I won’t be surprised if the other does as well.
Special thanks to CB reader Charlotte for sending along this tip.
