Viggo Mortensen isn't interested in winning awards.
Art over awards any day - Viggo Mortensen - "Good" New York City Premiere - Arrivals - Museum of Jewish Heritage - New York City, NY, USA © Mark Dye / PR Photos
The 50-year-old actor, who was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his role in 'Eastern Promises' in 2008, insists he didn't mind losing out to Daniel Day-Lewis.
He said: "It was my first exposure to that kind of thing. It's doesn't really have much to do with your job as an actor.
"I saw how some of the other candidates really tried to get that award. I didn't do that. I just thought, 'What's the point? How much does this have to do with actually playing a character?' Life is too short."
George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Tommy Lee Jones were also nominated in the Best Actor category.
Viggo admits that some good did come out of his nomination.
He added to Total Film magazine: "It probably sold a lot more DVDs as a result. And in some way it recognised the director David Cronenberg, who, for some reason has never been nominated for an Oscar."
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