Name: Orlando Bloom

Nickname: Orli

Height: 5' 11"

Date of Birth: 13th January 1977

Place of Birth: Canterbury, Kent, England, UK

Star Sign: Capricorn

Orlando Bloom's plans of becoming an actor developed quite early, when he realised that "Superman" 'Christopher Reeve' was an actor.  He spent two years at the National Youth Theatre and went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  His first memorable appearance, a cameo in the critically acclaimed movie Wilde (1997), earned him - only 20 years old by that time - various film offers, which he turned down to act in theatre for about three years.  On stage, he appeared in plays like "The Seagull", "Twelfth Night", and "Trojan Women".  After doing three Lord of the Rings movies with Peter Jackson, he worked with Ridley Scott on Black Hawk Down.  He also won the award at the 2002 Empire Awards for 'Best Debut'.

 

Facts:

He was nearly killed three years ago when he broke his back in a fall out of a window and fell three floors. He was told he may not walk again. He was operated on, and twelve days later he walked out of the hospital.

During the filming for Lord of the Rings, Orlando fell off his horse and broke one of his ribs.

He originally auditioned to play the role of "Faramir" in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but lost out on that role and was instead asked to play the role of Legolas.

He is named after the hero in Virginia Woolf's novel 'Orlando: A Biography'.

During Kate Winslet's speech for her winning role at the 2002 Empire Awards (Best Actress for 'Enigma'), she praised Orlando's performance in 'Fellowship of the Ring' as "brilliant".

He does not watch TV (What The?)

Quotes:

"I'm rather accident-prone, I have to admit. I've broken my back, my ribs, my nose, both my legs, my arm, my wrist, a finger and a toe and cracked my skull three times."

"I broke my back. I fell out of a window... some friends had a roof terrace on the landing before their apartment, and I fell off the drain pipe. It gave way, actually, and I fell three floors. I was told I might not walk again. So, for about four days, I was contemplating that as a serious part of reality. Then they operated, and I walked out of the hospital in about twelve days."

"Vig used to call me 'elf boy', and I'd call him 'filthy human'.  As an Elf, I never got a scratch on me, never got dirty.  And Vig would come out with blood and sweat all over him. And he'd say to me, 'Oh, go manicure your nails."

"We have these digs at each other.  Viggo will go on about Elves and how they're always doing their nails and brushing their long, blonde hair, and being all prissy.  And I just say: Well, at least I'm going to live forever! Got that? LIVE FOREVER!"

 

Soon to be seen in:

Ned Kelly (2003)

The Calcium Kid (2003)

Pirates of the Caribbean (2003)

Troy (2004)

"I've broken my back, my ribs, my nose, both my legs, my arm, my wrist, a finger and a toe and cracked my skull three times."

Orlando Bloom as Legolas Greenleaf, Elven Prince of Mirkwood in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

"Well, at least I'm going to live forever! Got that? LIVE FOREVER!"