Orlando Bloom

Born: Canterbury, Kent

Birthday: 13th January 1977.

Height: 5ft 11"

Hobbies: Surfing, Skydiving, Bungee-jumping and Photography.

When he was a kid, at school he and the other boys played a game with a girl in which the first one to catch her would be her boyfriend for the day. Orlando used to wish he was like Superman so that he could fly in and sweep her away for himself. Then he realized that these superheroes were not real but were played by actors and so he decided that he wanted to become an actor.

Orlando had joined the National Youth Theatre for 2 seasons by the age of 16 before getting himself a scholarship to train with the British American Drama Academy. After a bit-part in the film "Wilde" with Stephen Fry, he joined the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He is soon to be in Black Hawk Down and Lullaby of Clubland. Orlando graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London in 1999 after a 3 year acting course and was almost immediately cast in the role of Legolas Greenleaf in the Lord of the Rings.

Orlando originally auditioned for the role of Faramir but the part was taken someone else and he was asked to try for the role of Legolas. After an audition, a screen test and a meeting with Peter Jackson he was chosen to play the role of Legolas. Once he arrived at the set, a bow was thrown into his hands as he had to learn how to shoot arrows before filming. After a while, Orlando was able to shoot things that were thrown into the air. He had to shave off his brown hair leaving only a thick mohawk in order to wear the blond wig. His hair also had to be shaved off because elves have a naturally high hairline. Viggo Mortensen, who plays Aragorn in LoTR, also had to wear a wig. These wig are expensive, and Orlando accidentally rippend Viggo's wig a bit: the stylist was not impressed. The elves and men made fun of each other constantly on the set, the elves called the men "filthy humans" and the men always joked to the elves "Well, when you're done with your manicure, we're being attacked." The elves would see the men, for instance, Viggo as Aragorn come out from the make-up room covered in dirt, sweat and blood (elves don't get dirty, not really) and he'd jokingly say "Oh, go get your nails done!" On playing Legolas, Bloom says that the character moves are like a cat and moves very balletic which he claims, "is bloody hard to do without falling over!"

While in New Zealand, Orlando bungee-jumped off a really high spot 6 times and is said to have bungee-jumped off the spot 6 times in a row. He and the others also went surfing together in their free time.

He has a tattoo of the Elvish rune of the number nine on his forearm as well as the tattoo if a sun on his torso. All the actors who played the members of the Fellowship got a tattoo of the Elvish symbol in memory of the real bond that they made during the production of the Lord of the Rings. He also has a ring with an Elven inscription reading ' to wherever it may lead'.

Orlando is a supporter of the football team, Manchester United. He smokes, has a dog named Maude and hangs out in London or Los Angeles a lot.

See him now in Black Hawk Down (OUT NOW!!!) and soon in Ali G In Da House (British film,2002 - will be shown in the States), Lullaby in Clubland (British film, 2002)

Back to HOME to Legolas Greenleaf: Prince of Mirkwood

Images taken from : IMDb: Orlando Bloom / Andrea's Orlando Fan fun page / http://members.tripod.com/rache_17/id57.htm

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