Viggo Mortensen celebrated his Oscar nomination by taking out the garbage.

Viggo Mortensen

Viggo Mortensen

The 58-year-old actor didn't want to disturb his sleeping father when he got the call to say he'd been shortlisted for Best Actor in a Leading Role for 'Captain Fantastic' so simply got on with the everyday tasks that needed doing in his dad's home.

He said: "I was with my father and he was sleeping and I didn't want to wake him up, but I communicated with all the kids [from the film], we're all very happy for each other, we got another one for the team, so I was very happy.

"The next thing I did, as soon as I heard, was go and salt my dad's steps because they were a little icy.

"Oh you know an Oscar, that's wonderful, [then] I hung up the phone and then took out the garbage, salt the steps, got on with my day."

For 'Captain Fantastic' - in which Viggo played Ben, a man who has been raising his kids in a forest cut off from the world following his wife's diagnosis with bipolar disorder - the actor and his young co-stars had to practise yoga, gutting animals and learn to climb.

And Viggo admitted he will always claim he has the skills necessary for any role he's offered, and will then desperately do his homework afterwards.

He admitted to USA Today: "You do tend to say yes, no matter what they say, actors historically will say yes. 'Ride a horse?' 'Oh yeah'. 'Skydive? 'Sure. 'Do you know anything about physics?' 'Sure, I'm a physics major.'

"You'll say whatever and then figure out how to do it later.

"First say yes, they'll say yes, then go do your homework or find out from someone who really knows about it and they'll teach you."


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