DESPITE starring in three of the most talked about movies in recent years, Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen tries his best to shun the fame game.

You'd be more likely to see him at a poetry reading than gallivanting round Beverley Hills with a model on his arm. With his rugged good looks and star quality, the actor could have quite easily fallen into the trap of becoming tabloid fodder like many stars before him.

But he is notoriously cagey about his private life and considers any discussion of his own romantic affairs as "not pertinent."

However, there is no doubting that the 47-year-old has a colourful love life and speculation about the women in his life has been rife since the break-up of his marriage to punk singer and mother of his 16-year-old son, Henry, Exene Cervenka, in 1997.

As well as starring opposite some of Hollywood's most beautiful women, including Liv Tyler, Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore, Viggo has been linked to a string of beauties off-screen.

Viggo has remained tight-lipped about his romances but it seems not all girls are bowled over by the handsome actor. In 2003, he was dumped by 22-year-old Lola Schnabel, his girlfriend of two years, because he reportedly didn't wash enough and liked to go away for extended periods without telling anyone where he was going.

He admits that his sometimes erratic behaviour and lack of communication has, in the past, caused friction with his ex-wife and son.

During the filming of one movie, Viggo decided to get into character by not speaking for four weeks - not even to his family.

He said: "Because my son at the time was about eight years old, I faxed my ex-wife and said, 'I'm not going to be speaking for a while, but I will call. And can you put Henry on the phone?' So I'd call and she'd say, 'Hi Viggo, how are you?' and I would be silent."

However peculiar his behaviour may sound, this is Viggo's way of getting into character and once he starts acting, everything else takes second place ? even if he injures himself.

During the filming of Lord Of The Rings, the Hollywood heartthrob broke one of his front teeth while shooting a violent scene in New Zealand. But he was so determined to carry on filming he even suggested using Superglue to fix the tooth so the shoot wouldn't be held up.

His serious approach to the characters he plays means that he often becomes too involved with the parts he portrays. In the vigorous sex scene in A History of Violence, Viggo and his co-star Maria Bello didn't have body doubles and ended up with bruises from the rampant romping.

He revealed: "The process of working on it with her was awkward to perform, because we did it right. Maria didn't play it safe and was willing, as difficult as it was, to go for it and to risk making a fool of herself. I was also willing to make a fool of myself and so it worked well in the end. The scene goes on for longer than you would normally see, certainly in an American movie. The power position shifts and the jockeying for position is interesting emotionally, as well as the physical aspect."

Viggo is so dedicated to his craft that he is eager to thank the people that helped put him where he is today ? his fans.

But the more successful his acting career becomes, the less time he has to answer fan mail.

He said: "I always, until just the last year, opened, read and then answered each one. And if I'm going to do it, that's the way it should be done. But I realised I was spending two to three hours every night. One night, I just thought, this is ridiculous."

However, when given the opportunity he makes sure he doesn't forget his fans and signs autographs in person - even if it means scribbling for nine hours at bookstore signings.

Since his screen debut as a young Amish Farmer in Peter Weir's Witness in 1985, Viggo's career has been marked by a steady string of compelling performances.

Critics have continually recognised his work in over thirty movies, including such diverse projects as Jane Campion's The Portrait of a Lady (1996), Sean Penn's The Indian Runner (1991), Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way (1993), Ridley Scott's G.I. Jane (1997), Tony Scott's Crimson Tide (1995), Andrew Davis' A Perfect Murder (1998) and Tony Goldwyn's Walk on the Moon (1999).

He is now working on new movie Alatriste, due for release in 2006, in which he plays Spanish soldier-turned-mercenary Captain Alatriste, a veteran of Spain's 17th century imperial wars.