Viggo Tarasov in John Wick: Who He Is, Who Plays Him and How It Ends

Viggo Tarasov is a powerful crime boss and John Wick's former employer, and he is the villain of John Wick (2014), directed by Chad Stahelski. Michael Nyqvist plays him and is billed second, behind Keanu Reeves.

Viggo is the father of Iosef Tarasov, the young gangster played by Alfie Allen. That family link is what starts the story. Iosef sees John's classic car, tries to buy it, and is refused. He then breaks into John's home with his friends, beats John, kills the puppy Helen arranged as a last gift and takes the car. Viggo only learns who his son wronged afterward.

The supporting cast around the Tarasov side of the story includes Avi, played by Dean Winters and billed fifth, and Marcus, played by Willem Dafoe and billed fourth.

For the hero he is up against, see our John Wick character profile.

Viggo Tarasov's key relationships are with his son Iosef, his former hitman John Wick, and Marcus (Willem Dafoe), the old friend of John's whom he hires to kill him.

With Iosef, Viggo is a father first and a boss second, and his grief after Iosef dies drives the last act. With John, the history is professional: John used to work for him, and Viggo tries to head John off once he learns who Iosef wronged. Whether that reads as respect or caution is open to interpretation.

Marcus shows how Viggo handles a problem. He sends a friend of John's to do the job, and when Marcus hesitates and fails, Viggo punishes him and then uses Marcus's life as leverage over John. Avi, played by Dean Winters, is another name in the film's cast list around the Tarasov plot. Winston and the Continental sit outside Viggo's reach as neutral ground for criminals, which is how John gets rest and help while the bounty is active. For that side of the story, see Winston and Charon, who is credited as the Continental's hotel manager in this film.

In my opinion, Viggo's best scenes are the ones where the film shows how one bad decision by his son spreads through the whole underworld.

First, there is the turn from Viggo learning who Iosef wronged to trying to head John off. It could be argued that this is where the movie sets its tone: the people who know John best are the ones who are most worried. Second, there is the bounty, which turns a revenge story into a siege and brings the Continental and Winston into focus.

Third, there is the hiring of Marcus. Perhaps it is the most telling choice Viggo makes, since it uses a friend as a weapon, and Nyqvist plays his anger after Marcus fails with a cold control that suits a boss. Last, there is the harbor fight, where the film pays off both men's losses. Paradoxically, the quiet shelter scene afterward does as much to close Viggo's story as the fight does.