Who is Orlando Bloom?

Orlando Bloom is an English actor, born in 1977, who is best known for his major roles in two of this century’s largest grossing film trilogies. These are Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings, where he had a central role as the wood Elf, Legolas, and the three Pirates of the Caribbean films playing Will Turner and co-starring with Johnny Depp and Keira Knightly. His acting career though short, also boasts a leading role in the Ridley Scott film Kingdom of Heaven.

Once the first Lord of the Rings film hit theaters, Bloom became a household name, and was especially admired for his attractiveness. He’s since earned the title of hottest Hollywood bachelor from People magazine. His work in Rings was also noted for its adept physicality. In The Two Towers a frequently enjoyed scene featuring Orlando Bloom has him skateboarding on a shield down a flight of stairs, while shooting arrows.

Jackson noted the commitment to acting by Orlando Bloom in several of the commentaries on Ring DVDs. Bloom broke his rib just a week after shooting of the first film began, but this did not deter him from continuing to perform stunts and fully participate in the film.

Though Bloom has participated in some of the most popular films of this century, many movie critics feel he has yet to prove his acting ability. Especially in the Pirates films, critics found that his performance pales in comparison to Johnny Depp’s. Other movie roles featuring Orlando Bloom, as in Kingdom of Heaven and Elizabethtown have failed to stir the interest of critics or box office audiences.

A few small roles have shown that Bloom does not take himself too seriously. In the English sitcom Extras, he plays a caricaturized version of himself with a seriously nasty attitude toward Johnny Depp. In reality, Bloom’s relationship to Depp is much friendlier. Bloom credits Depp with helping him remain grounded and maintain a certain degree of privacy during near “instant” fame, something Depp has himself struggled with.

Bloom has been very public about his struggle with reading as a child. He was mildly dyslexic and did poorly in school. When he was accepted into the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, reading was naturally the biggest challenge to learning to read plays and rehearsing. Bloom states his mother was a great help in learning to overcome the disability, and that he now enjoys reading.

The popularity of the Pirates franchise has evoked speculation of a possible fourth film. Rumors on the Internet recently ran wild that Bloom would not be participating in the film, and fans feared the death of Turner at the end of the third Pirates installment. Such rumors have been quelled by the studio, so fans can rest easy that future Pirates films, if made, would feature Bloom.