Viggo Mortensen's Favorite Lord Of The Rings Scene Is One Of The Best In The Trilogy

The Peter Jackson-directed "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy is filled with intense moments and otherwise incredible scenes. Who doesn't love the heartwarming arrival of Gandalf (Ian McKellen) in the Shire in "The Fellowship of the Ring?" Or doesn't cheer when the Rohirrim charge at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in "The Return of the King" (or sit there and marvel at the sheer scale of the Battle of Helm's Deep in "The Two Towers")? And, really, whose jaw doesn't hit the floor at the countless shots of epic landscapes ranging from Minas Tirith to Mordor across those movies?

Despite the smorgasbord of options, however, there's one scene that Aragorn actor Viggo Mortensen finds particularly good in those films, and it's small, quiet, and otherwise surprisingly powerful. In an interview with Empire Magazine to commemorate "The Fellowship of the Ring" turning 25 in 2026, Mortensen and Sean Bean (who played the human warrior Boromir in Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy) were asked for their thoughts about shooting Boromir's death scene from the end of the film. Mortensen didn't mince words in his response

"That scene, I have to say, no offense to anybody else or any other part of the trilogy, but that's maybe my favorite scene."

Mortensen went on to explain why he feels that way, once again revealing a degree of depth and deeper meaning that fans of the serious and thoughtful actor have come to expect:

"It's such a beautiful scene. And there are no effects, there are no imaginary monsters. It's just two people who have a connection in terms of their ethnicity — you know, Gondor and all that — but they've been at odds. They've been kinda butting heads until then. And then there's just such a strong connection."

Boromir's death has long left "Lord of the Rings" book and movie fans alike captivated. There's a sense of redemption and hope in his final moments that stirs the heart in a way that only J.R.R. Tolkien could. The character's "passing of the torch," as it were, to Aragorn as the exiled king of Gondor is a particularly powerful exchange, and it's amazing to read in Tolkien's original novels. But Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean? They take it to a whole new level on screen.

This is partly helped by the fact that the son of Gondor's death comes on the heels of Boromir's heroic last stand (which is also one of the fight scenes in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy) to defend Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd). In the moment, the emotion is palpable. As someone who's typically on the "books are better than adaptations" side of things, I need to confess that this sequence in Peter Jackson's trilogy is actually one of those moments where his movies elevate Tolkien's source material.

As written by Tolkien, Boromir's last stand is broken up and partly told through memory sequences. It also serves as the opening to the "Two Towers" book, whereas Jackson elected to include Boromir's battle with the Uruk-hai and his death as part of a single, uninterrupted sequence that unfolds in real time during the climax to his "Fellowship of the Ring" adaptation ... and, boy, was that the right call. Bean's performance, the slow motion shots, the countless slain enemies piled around him, the Horn of Gondor, the arrows? It's fantastic, and it sets a high emotional bar for Mortensen's favorite moment to follow.