Orlando Bloom

Orlando Bloom

Born Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom
(1977-01-13) 13 January 1977
Canterbury, Kent, England, United Kingdom
Residence
Occupation Actor, Film Producer
Years active 1994–present
Religion Buddhism (Soka Gakkai International)[1][2]
Spouse(s) Miranda Kerr (m. 2010; separated 2013)
Children 1

Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom (born 13 January 1977) is an English actor. After having his breakthrough as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he rose to fame by further appearing in epic fantasy, historical epic, and fantasy adventure films. His other roles include Legolas in The Hobbit trilogy, Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Paris in Troy, and Balian de Ibelin in Kingdom of Heaven.

Bloom subsequently established himself as a leading man in Hollywood films such as Elizabethtown and appeared in ensemble films such as New York, I Love You and Main Street. He made his professional stage debut in West End's In Celebration at the Duke of York's Theatre in London in 2007 and starred in a Broadway adaption of Romeo and Juliet in 2013. In 2009, Bloom was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Early life

Bloom was born in 1977 in Canterbury, Kent, and was named after the 16th century composer Orlando Gibbons.[3][4] He has an older sister, Samantha Bloom.[5]

Orlando initially believed that his biological father was his mother's husband, the Jewish South African-born anti-Apartheid novelist Harry Saul Bloom (1913–81), who died when Bloom was four years old. However, when he was 13 (nine years after Harry's death), Bloom's mother revealed to him that his biological father was actually Colin Stone, his mother's partner and family friend.[6][7][8] Stone, the principal of the Concorde International language school,[9] became Orlando Bloom's legal guardian after Harry Bloom's death.[8]

Bloom's mother, Sonia Constance Josephine (née Copeland), was born in Calcutta, India, the daughter of Francis John Copeland, a physician and surgeon, and Betty Constance Josephine (née Walker). Through her, Bloom is a cousin of photographer Sebastian Copeland.[10] Bloom's mother's family lived in Tasmania (Australia), Japan, and India, and were of English descent, some of them having originally come from Kent.[6]

Bloom was raised in the Church of England.[11] He attended St Peter's Methodist Primary School,[12] then the King's School and St Edmund's School in Canterbury. Bloom was discovered to be dyslexic,[8][13] and was encouraged by his mother to take art and drama classes.[8] In 1993, he moved to London to follow a two-year A Level course in Drama, Photography and Sculpture at Fine Arts College, Hampstead. He then joined the National Youth Theatre, spending two seasons there and earning a scholarship to train at the British American Drama Academy.[14] Bloom began acting professionally with television roles in episodes of Casualty and Midsomer Murders,[8] and subsequently made his film debut in Wilde (1997), opposite Stephen Fry, before entering the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he studied acting.

Career

Bloom at the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest London premiere, July 2006

Bloom's first appearance on the screen was in a small role, as a rent boy, in the 1997 film Wilde. Two days after graduating from Guildhall in 1999,[1] he was cast in his first major role, playing Legolas in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003).[14] He had originally auditioned for the part of Faramir, who does not appear until the second movie, but the director, Peter Jackson, cast him as Legolas instead. While shooting a scene, he broke a rib after falling off a horse, but eventually recovered and continued shooting.[15] At the same time, Bloom also played a brief role in Ridley Scott's war film Black Hawk Down as PFC Todd Blackburn. In 2002, he was chosen as one of the Teen People "25 Hottest Stars Under 25" and was named People's hottest Hollywood bachelor in the magazine's 2004 list.[14] All members of the cast of the Rings films were nominated for Best Ensemble Acting at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for three years in a row, finally winning in 2003 for the third film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Bloom has also won other awards, including European Film Awards, Hollywood Festival Award, Empire Awards and Teen Choice Awards, and has been nominated for many others. Most of Bloom's box office successes have been as part of an ensemble cast.[16]

Bloom next starred opposite Keira Knightley and Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which was a blockbuster hit during the summer of 2003. After the success of Pirates, Bloom next took to the screen as Paris, the man who effectively started the Trojan War, in the 2004 Spring blockbuster, Troy opposite Brad Pitt, Eric Bana and Peter O'Toole. He subsequently played the lead roles in Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven and Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown (both 2005). In 2006, Bloom starred in sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and in the independently made Haven, of which he was also executive producer. In the same year he was one of the guest stars in the sitcom Extras, in which he portrayed an exaggeratedly arrogant, narcissistic version of himself who had a great loathing for Johnny Depp (his co-star in Pirates of the Caribbean); Bloom pushed for Extras to go further by making his part unlikeable, and contributed to the gag about him admiring Depp out of sheer jealousy, that Depp was far more talented than he was, not to mention rated higher than him on the 'top hottest' charts.[17] Also in 2006, Bloom was the most searched male on Google News.[8] As of May 2007, Bloom has appeared in four of the top 15 highest-grossing films of all time.[1]

Bloom at the location filming of The Three Musketeers in Würzburg, Germany, 14 September 2010

Bloom then again portrayed Will Turner, in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, released on 24 May 2007. Bloom, who had intended to become a stage actor after graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, had stated that he would like to leave films for a time and instead appear in stage roles,[14] and is "avidly looking for the right sort of material that [he] can do something with"[18] and go "back to basics."[19] During the summer of 2007 he appeared in a London revival of In Celebration, a play by David Storey.[19][20] His character was one of three brothers returning home for their parents' 40th wedding anniversary.[21] On 24 August 2007 he made his first ever TV commercial appearance on late-night Japanese TV, promoting the Uno brand of cosmetics maker Shiseido. A "one night only", 2-minute version of the Sci-Fi themed commercial kicked off the product's marketing campaign.[22] In 2008 he signed on to play a small role in the British film An Education[23] but dropped out to take the lead in Johnnie To's film Red Circle.[24] Also in 2009, he was one of many stars to appear in New York, I Love You, which contained 12 short films in one. He then appeared in The Three Musketeers opposite Milla Jovovich, Logan Lerman, Matthew Macfadyen, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Juno Temple and Christoph Waltz, released in 2011. In October 2011, Bloom stated that he would like to return for a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film if he was offered. On 14 August 2015 Disney officially announced that Bloom will reprise his role as Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, scheduled for May 2017.[25]

Bloom reprised his role as Legolas in parts two and three of The Hobbit, Peter Jackson's three-part prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy.[26]

Bloom made his Broadway stage debut as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet in August 2013 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.[27] The New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley described Bloom's performance as “a first-rate Broadway debut”[28] in the title role: “For once, we have a Romeo who evolves substantively, from a posturing youth in love with love, to a man who discovers the startling revelation of real love, with a last-act descent into bilious, bitter anger that verges on madness.”

Personal life

Bloom has said that he tries "not to exclude [himself] from real life as much as possible."[8] During filming in Morocco for Kingdom of Heaven, Bloom rescued and adopted a dog, Sidi (a black Saluki mix with a white mark on his chest).[29]

Bloom is a practising Buddhist under Soka Gakkai International.[1][30] In 2004, he became a full member of SGI-UK (the UK branch of Soka Gakkai International), a lay Buddhist association affiliated with the teachings of Nichiren.[31][32]

Bloom has also been a part of Global Green, an environmental company, since the early 2000s.[16] As part of his environmental involvement, he has renovated his London home to use solar panels, incorporate recycled materials, and utilise energy efficient lightbulbs.[8][16]

Bloom has a tattoo of the English word "nine" on his right wrist, written in fictional Tengwar Elvish script, a reference to his involvement in the Lord of the Rings and the fact that his character was one of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring. The other actors of "The Fellowship" (Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Billy Boyd, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, and Elijah Wood) got the same tattoo with the exception of John Rhys-Davies whose stunt double got the tattoo instead.[33] Bloom also has a tattoo of a sun on his lower left abdomen, which he got at the age of 15 just before moving to London.

On 12 February 2009, Bloom actively participated in the 'Australia Unites' fundraiser to raise support for the victims of the Australian bushfires on 7 February 2009.[34]

On 12 October 2009, Bloom was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He has been involved in the organisation since 2007 and has visited schools and villages in Nepal in support of sanitation and education programmes.[35]

Bloom has sustained several injuries: he broke his left arm and cracked his skull three times, broke his nose while playing rugby union, broke his right leg skiing in Switzerland, broke his left leg in a motorbike crash, and broke his right wrist while snowboarding.[1] He also broke his back when he slipped trying to reach a roof terrace of a friend's house and fell three floors.[36] He also broke some ribs while shooting The Lord of the Rings.[37]

On 13 July 2009, four hooded teenagers broke into the Hollywood Hills home of Orlando Bloom and stole nearly half a million dollars worth of possessions. The burglars, dubbed the "Bling Ring", targeted the homes of young celebrities. Most of Bloom's stolen items were retrieved.[38]

Relationships

Bloom had an "on-and-off relationship"[39] with American actress Kate Bosworth, from 2003 until splitting up in September 2006.[40][41]

Bloom at the Venice Film Festival, 4 September 2005

In late 2007 Bloom began dating Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr.[42] They announced their engagement in June 2010,[43] and were married the following month.[44] Kerr gave birth to their son in January 2011 in Los Angeles.[45][46] On 25 October 2013, Bloom and Kerr announced that they had separated several months earlier, and intended to end their marriage. The two were divorced by the end of 2013.[47][48]

Accolades

In a 2004 poll of cultural experts conducted for the BBC, Bloom was named the twelth most influential person in British culture.[49] On 13 July 2010, Bloom appeared in his home town of Canterbury where he was presented with an Honorary Degree from the University of Kent at Canterbury Cathedral.[50] Bloom received the 2,521st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 2 April 2014.[51][52]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1997 Wilde Rentboy
2001 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, TheThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Legolas
2001 Black Hawk Down PFC Todd Blackburn
2002 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, TheThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Legolas
2003 Ned Kelly Joseph Byrne
2003 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Will Turner
2003 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, TheThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Legolas
2004 Calcium Kid, TheThe Calcium Kid Jimmy "The Calcium Kid" Connelly
2004 Troy Paris
2004 Haven Shy Also co-producer
2005 Kingdom of Heaven Balian de Ibelin
2005 Elizabethtown Drew Baylor
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Will Turner
2006 Love and Other Disasters Hollywood Paolo Cameo
2006 Armenian Genocide, TheThe Armenian Genocide Auguste Berneau Documentary
2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Will Turner
2007 Everest: A Climb for Peace Narrator Documentary
2009 New York, I Love You David Cooler Segment: "Shunji Iwai"
2010 Sympathy for Delicious The Stain
2010 Main Street Harris Parker
2011 The Good Doctor Dr. Martin E. Blake Also executive producer
2011 Fight for Your Right Revisited Johnny Ryall Short film
2011 The Three Musketeers George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
2013 Zulu Brian Epkeen
2013 Bling Ring, TheThe Bling Ring Himself Archived footage
2013 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Legolas
2014 Romeo and Juliet Romeo Theatrical release of the Broadway play he starred in
2014 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Legolas
2015 Digging for Fire Ben
2017 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Will Turner[53][54] Post-production
2017 Unlocked Post-production
TBA Smart Chase: Fire & Earth[55] Pre-production
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1994–96 Casualty Noel Harrison 3 episodes (Care in the Community, Another Day in Paradise, Made in Britain)
2000 Midsomer Murders Peter Drinkwater 1 episode (Judgement Day)
2006 Extras Himself 1 episode (Orlando Bloom)
2011 LA Phil Live Romeo 1 episode (Dudamel Conducts Tchaikovsky)
2016 Easy Tom 1 episode (Utopia)
Video Games
Year Title Role Notes
2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Legolas Voice role, archive footage
2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Legolas Voice role, archive footage
2004 The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Legolas Archive footage
2012 Lego The Lord of the Rings Legolas Archive footage
2014 Lego The Hobbit Legolas Archive footage
2015 Lego Dimensions Legolas Archive footage

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2001 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Cast The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Won
Empire Awards Best Debut Won
MTV Movie Awards Best Breakthrough Performance Won
Saturn Awards Face of the Future – Male Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Cast Black Hawk Down Nominated
2002 Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Cast The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Won
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Cast Won
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
2003 MTV Movie Awards Best Trans-Atlantic Performance Nominated
Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Ned Kelly Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Best Cast The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Won
National Board of Review Awards Best Cast Won
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Cast Won
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Won
Empire Awards Best British Actor Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Actor – Drama/Action Adventure Nominated
Hollywood Film Festival Breakthrough Acting – Male Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Won
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Chemistry Won
Choice Movie Fight/Action Sequence Won
Choice Movie Liplock Won
2004 MTV Movie Awards Mexico Sexiest Hero Won
MTV Movie Awards Best On-Screen Team Nominated
2005 Jameson People's Choice Award Best European Actor Kingdom of Heaven Won
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Liplock Nominated
2006 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Rumble Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Won
Choice Movie Liplock Won
Choice Movie Actor – Drama/Action Adventure Nominated
2007 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Rumble Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Nominated
National Movie Awards Best Performance by a Male Won
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Actor – Drama/Action Adventure Won
Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Supporting Actor Nominated
2014 MTV Movie Awards Best Fight The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Won
Best On-Screen Transformation Nominated
2015 Britannia Awards Britannia Humanitarian Award Honorary

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Pearce, Garth (27 May 2007). "On the move: Orlando Bloom". The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 27 May 2007.
  2. ↑ "Orlando Bloom 'converts to Buddhism'". Female First. 2004. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Orlando Bloom". People. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Orlando Bloom". Hello magazine. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  5. ↑ "Orlando Bloom's big sister on stage at Canterbury". Kent and Sussex Courier. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  6. 1 2 Barratt, Nick (11 November 2006). "Family Detective". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  7. ↑ "Orlando Bloom's sister denies feud", The Daily Telegraph, 28 June 2007
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pilger, Sam (27 May 2007). "Va-Va Bloom". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  9. ↑ Stone, Colin. "About Us". Concorde International. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  10. ↑ "Sebastian Copeland (known as Baste) – MSN Environment UK". Environment.uk.msn.com. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  11. ↑ Independent Film Quarterly – IFQ Magazine Interview with Orlando Bloom Archived 22 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ "St. Peter's Methodist Primary School, Canterbury". St-peters-canterbury.kent.sch.uk. 13 January 1977. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "Learning Disability". J-14. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Cohen, Sandy (24 May 2007). "Orlando Bloom sails onto new seas". Sun Herald. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  15. ↑ Nasson, Tim. "Orlando Bloom Interview". Wild About Movies. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  16. 1 2 3 Jones, Alison (23 May 2007). "Celebrity Interview: Where There's a Will...". TeenHollywood.com. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  17. ↑ Gordon, Scott (10 January 2007). "Ricky Gervais The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  18. ↑ Williams, Lowri (19 September 2006). "Orlando Bloom To Ditch Film For The Stage?". Entertainment Wise. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  19. 1 2 "Bloom trades his 'Pirates' sword for London stage". Khaleej City Times. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  20. ↑ Lipton, Brian Scott (25 May 2007). "Farr, Hilton, et al. to Join Orlando Bloom in London's In Celebration". Theater Mania. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
  21. ↑ World Entertainment News Network (24 May 2007). "Orlando Bloom To Bare All On Stage". Starpulse News Blog. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  22. ↑ "Orlando Bloom in First TV Commercial". Japan Zone. 24 August 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
  23. ↑ "Molina, Bloom, Hawkins set for 'Education'". Hollywood Reporter. 21 February 2008. Archived from the original on 13 April 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  24. ↑ Bamigboye, Baz. Orlando Bloom gives his bit-part the chop, Daily Mail, 14 March 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2008.
  25. ↑ http://screenrant.com/pirates-caribbean-5-orlando-bloom-will-turner/
  26. ↑ Bierly, Mandi. "Orlando Bloom joins 'Hobbit,' has not aged, according to Peter Jackson". Insidemovies.ew.com. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  27. ↑ "Orlando Bloom Set To Make Broadway Debut In New Take On 'Romeo And Juliet'". WCBS-TV. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  28. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/theater/reviews/orlando-bloom-and-condola-rashad-in-romeo-and-juliet.html
  29. ↑ Slotek, Jim (24 May 2007). "Bloom ready to walk the plank". 24 Hours. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  30. ↑ "Miranda Kerr Chants with baby Flyn and husband Orlando Bloom". Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  31. ↑ "Orlando Bloom 'converts to Buddhism'". Female First. 2004. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  32. ↑ World Entertainment News Network (31 August 2006). "Bloom And Bosworth Build Buddhist Retreat". TeenHollywood.com. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  33. ↑ "The stars of The Lord of the Rings trilogy reach their journey's end". SciFi.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  34. ↑ "Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom chip in for bush fire relief". Herald Sun. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  35. ↑ "Orlando Bloom named UN ambassador". BBC News. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  36. ↑ "The Epic Life of Orlando Bloom". Gentleman's Quarterly. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
  37. ↑ "His bow totally broke". Tumblr. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  38. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Alleged 'bling ring' member ordered to stand trial over burglary at star's home", 2 December 2009
  39. ↑ "Orlando Bloom Biography". People. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  40. ↑ "LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT FOR BLOOM". Contact Music. 6 July 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  41. ↑ All Headline News (6 September 2006). "Orlando Bloom And Kate Bosworth Split". Exposay. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
  42. ↑ "Orlando Bloom Meets Miranda Kerr's Parents". People. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2008.
  43. ↑ Oh, Eunice (21 June 2010). "Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr Are Engaged!". People. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  44. ↑ "Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr Secretly Marry!". People. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010.
  45. ↑ Michaud, Sarah (18 January 2011). "Miranda Kerr: I Had a Baby Boy with Orlando Bloom!". People. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  46. ↑ "Miranda Kerr Names Flynn After Late Boyfriend – Moms & Babies – Moms & Babies — People.com". Celebritybabies.people.com. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  47. ↑ Maresca, Rachel. "Orlando Bloom speaks out on Miranda Kerr separation: 'Life sometimes doesn't work out exactly as we plan'". NY Daily News. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  48. ↑ Takeda, Allison (25 October 2013). "Miranda Kerr, Orlando Bloom Split After Three Years of Marriage". Us Weekly. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  49. ↑ "iPod designer leads culture list". BBC. 17 November 2016.
  50. ↑ "University of Kent Honorary Degrees 2010". Kent.ac.uk. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  51. ↑ "Orlando Bloom's Son Steals The Spotlight At Actor's Walk Of Fame Ceremony". Huffingtonpost. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  52. ↑ "Orlando Bloom gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star". Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  53. ↑ ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5′ Begins Production in Australia
  54. ↑ Jack Sparrow is back in trouble in first photo from Pirates of the Caribbean 5
  55. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (June 16, 2016). "Orlando Bloom Joins Action Thriller 'Smart Chase: Fire & Earth,' Partners With Bliss Media On New Production Vehicle (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
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