'Rings' star Viggo takes to the high seas

Johnny Depp isn't the only swashbuckling adventurer coming our way this year as Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen has left Middle Earth in favour of a life on the high seas. And King Aragorn had no trouble finding his sea legs when he got to work on the historical epic Alatriste in which he plays a heroic Spanish soldier.

With a long moustache and a bandana wrapped around his head, the handsome actor bore more than a passing resemblance to Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. But Viggo's latest character is unlikely to share his fellow sailor's wise-cracking wit, as the new movie is an altogether more serious affair.

Captain Alatriste became a hero in 16th-century Spain after proving his bravery in the country's Imperial Wars. The soldier turned mercenary got into more than his fair share of scrapes as he and his men did battle with the English Navy.

The Spanish-language flick will add weight to Viggo's reputation as a Renaissance Man. The 46-year-old actor is a successful poet, photographer, artist and musician, not to mention being fluent in several languages. The movie will also act as a showcase for some of Spain's hottest acting talents, such as Eduardo Noriega and Victoria Abril.