Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen has attacked actors who choose blockbuster movies roles purely for the cash.

Mortensen, who played Aragorn in Peter Jackson's fantasy trilogy, claims he has enough money to have a pleasant life with his family and prefers taking challenging roles rather than opting for the movies with the biggest budgets.

When asked why had not taken more blockbuster roles, he told Empire: "Certainly I could have made some more money if I'd done what you're talking about, but I mean, how much money does a person need?

"I can help my family; I can give money to certain organisations, I can travel on my own. I don't need more than I have. I've been really fortunate."