This dashing leading man started out onstage in his native Britain but had only a handful of TV and film roles under his belt when he landed the career-making role of a butt-kicking elf in
The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Sporting a blond wig and chiseled cheekbones, Bloom became an overnight pretty-boy sensation. He continued to catch viewers' eyes in the surprise 2003 blockbuster
Pirates of the Caribbean. At this point, the handsome actor seemed poised to become the Next Big Thing. However, his earlier successes were in ensemble films and he stumbled when required to carry a film alone (the action flop
Kingdom of Heaven and the middling romantic comedy
Elizabethtown). But Bloom remained in the spotlight, thanks to his winning personality, on-again off-again romance with starlet Kate Bosworth, and two high-profile (and high-grossing)
Pirates sequels.
Orlando Bloom Fast Facts:
- Although he initially auditioned for the smaller part of Faramir, was cast as Legolas Greenleaf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- Suffers from dyslexia.
- Extremely accident-prone, he has admitted to breaking his back, ribs, nose, both legs, an arm, a wrist, a finger, a toe, and cracking his skull three times.
- Said he has been influenced by the philosophies of Nichiren Buddhism.
- Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People for 2004.
- Orlando Bloom Relationships:
- Colin Stone - Father
- Harry Bloom - Stepfather
- Kate Bosworth - Ex-significant Other
- Miranda Kerr - Significant Other
- Samantha Bloom - Sister
- Sonia Bloom - Mother
- College:
- British American Drama Academy, London, England (1995); Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London, England (1999)
