Actor Viggo Mortensen is looking so convincing in his new role as a Russian gangster, that when he dropped in for a bowl of soup at a Russian-owned counter, he had people actually believing that he was a real-life bad guy.
Mortensen is teaming up with director David Cronenberg once again to star as a cold-blooded gangster in a new crime drama Easter Promises, a role that required Oscar-winning make-up artist Stephan apply authentic Russian-mafia tattoos on the star.
A source revealed that the Lord of the Rings star got a taste of the kind of fear the mafia generated when he popped in at a Russian-owned soup counter near the movie’s London set.
"The place went silent not because of his star power, but because the people recognized the tattoos - and were appropriately intimidated," the New York Daily News quoted him, as saying.
The source also revealed that it was only when people realised that Mortensen didn’t speak a lick of Russian that the atmosphere relaxed.
"Later, when it became clear Viggo didn't know 10 words of Russian, the atmosphere relaxed," the source said.
{{/usCountry}}"Later, when it became clear Viggo didn't know 10 words of Russian, the atmosphere relaxed," the source said.
{{/usCountry}}The movie revolves around a mid-wife in London who investigates the identity of a Russian teenager who has died in childbirth, and who discovers a prostitution racket.
Eastern Promises also stars Naomi Watts and Vincent Cassel.
It is scheduled to hit theatres later on this year.