Born on January
13, 1977 in Canterbury, England, Orlando Bloom's plans of becoming an actor
developed quite early when he realized that the characters on TV and in the
movies weren't real, that they were actors. "Once I realized that I could be
Superman or I could be The Hustler or I could be Daniel Day Lewis's character in
The Last Of The Mohicans - I was like, "Man, I can become an actor and be
all of those things." In 1993, he moved to London to improve his career,
doing bit parts in TV series like "Casualty". Orlando spent two years at
the National Youth Theatre before getting a scholarship to train with the
British American Drama Academy. His first memorable appearance, a cameo in the
critically acclaimed movie Wilde in 1997, earned him various film offers, which
he all turned down in favor to play theatre. After Wilde, Orlando
attended the Guildhall School
of Music and Drama for 3 years. On stage, he appeared in plays like "The
Seagull", "Twelfth Night", and "Trojan Women".
Orlando's
first major movie role was in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, playing the
ethereal elf Legolas Greenleaf, a role he received only days before graduating
drama school in London. Two years later, when The Fellowship of the Ring
premiered, audiences were in instant awe of the blonde haired, blue eyed elf
with killer cheek bones, who was also handy with a bow and arrow. It didn't take
long for Orlando to become a full fledged teen heartthrob, hailed by magazines
as "The next big thing". In interviews and magazines, fans discovered that
off-screen, Orlando was quite different than his movie counterpart. With
brown eyes, dark hair, olive skin, and a keen yet quirky fashion sense, he
looked right at home on the cover of GQ. Unlike the quiet Legolas, Orlando
was full of energy and infectious enthusiasm, charming everyone he worked with,
along with the fans. In interviews, he described himself as an adrenaline junky;
skydiving, bungee jumping, surfing and snowboarding in his spare time. This live
life to it's fullest concept seems to come partly from a brush with death that
Orlando had while in drama school. Falling 3 stories from a friend's roof
terrace, Orlando faced the possibility of never walking again, but was able to
walk out of the hospital 12 days later.
A walking miracle,
Orlando seemed to be on the road to mega-stardom. Released shortly after
the The Fellowship of the Ring was the gritty war drama, Black Hawk Down,
directed by Ridley Scott. Orlando played Private First Class Todd
Blackburn, and showed the enthusiasm, excitement and nervousness of an 18 year
old soldier new to the world of war in Somalia. Shadowing a real life
experience, his character falls from a helicopter and breaks his back. His next
role was that of Joe Byrne in Ned Kelly, a historical biopic of the infamous
Australian outlaw. Even though the movie had a limited release, the reviews were
positive for Orlando's portrayal of Ned Kelly's right hand man. Next came
the swashbuckling blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
Pearl, which cemented Orlando's place as the action movie "It Boy". Playing the
dashing yet straight-laced blacksmith, Will Turner, Orlando won even more hearts
by showing off his sword fighting skills alongside his idol, Johnny Depp,
while romancing the film's heroine played by Keira Knightley. In 2004
came another period action movie, Troy. Although the role of Paris saw Orlando
again using a sword and bow, it was a departure from his past roles. Paris was
an anti-hero, young and foolish at times, sacrificing all for love. Also
released in 2004, although only limited in Europe, was the indie film The
Calcium Kid, a mockumentary comedy about a milkman who becomes a boxer. Orlando
was able to show off his comedic skills while playing a modern character, with
no weapons or costumes. The indie film Haven also made its debut at the 2004
Toronto Film Festival. Orlando both starred in and co-produced the film.
It has yet to be released into theaters.
Orlando's
first starring role in a major production was in Kingdom of Heaven,
released in 2005. Although the film was considered a box office disappointment,
the reviews of Orlando's acting were positive. He was able to convey the
inner turmoil of a man on a journey of spiritual and self discovery. Orlando's
next starring role will be that of Drew Baylor in Elizabethtown. A modern
comedic drama written and directed by Cameron Crowe. A sequel to Pirates of
the Caribbean titled Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest will be
released in Summer 2006.
Although
Orlando has grown since his premiere in The Lord of the Rings, he
still has the same genuine love of life and work. He likes to keep his family
and friends out of the limelight, and tries to stay grounded even in the face of
mega-stardom. He always has a smile and a hug for his fans, even delaying movie
premieres so he can spend more time signing autographs and taking photos.
Orlando's onscreen presence, along with his down to earth attitude and
likeability will continue to attract new fans while sustaining the old ones.
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