- Born
- Birth nameOrlando Jonathan Blanchard Copeland Bloom
- Nickname
- Orli
- Height5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
- Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Copeland Bloom was born on January 13, 1977 in Canterbury, Kent, England. His mother, Sonia Constance Josephine Bloom (née Copeland), was born in Kolkata, India, to an English family then-resident there. The man he first knew as his father, Harry Bloom, was a legendary political activist who fought for civil rights in South Africa. But Harry died of a stroke when Orlando was only four years old. After that, Orlando and his older sister, Samantha Bloom, were raised by their mother and family friend, Colin Stone. When Orlando was 13, Sonia revealed to him that Colin is actually the biological father of Orlando and his sister; the two were conceived after an agreement by his parents, since Harry, who suffered a stroke in 1975, was unable to have children.
Orlando attended St. Edmund's School in Canterbury but struggled in many courses because of dyslexia. He did embrace the arts, however, and enjoyed pottery, photography and sculpturing. He also participated in school plays and was active at his local theater. As a teen, Orlando landed his first job: he was a clay trapper at a pigeon shooting range. Encouraged by his mother, he and his sister began studying poetry and prose, eventually giving readings at Kent Festival. Orlando and Samantha won many poetry and Bible reciting competitions. Then Orlando, who always idolized larger-than-life characters, gravitated towards serious acting. At the age of 16, he moved to London and joined the National Youth Theatre, spending two seasons there and gaining a scholarship to train with the British American Drama Academy. Like many young actors, he also auditioned for a number of television roles to further his career, landing bit parts in British television shows Casualty (1986), Midsomer Murders (1997) and Smack the Pony (1999). He also appeared in the critically acclaimed movie Wilde (1997).
He then attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. It was there, in 1998, that Orlando fell three stories from a rooftop terrace and broke his back. Despite fears that he would be permanently paralyzed, he quickly recovered and returned to the stage. As fate would have it, seated in the audience one night in 1999 was a director named Peter Jackson. After the show, he met with Orlando and asked him to audition for his new set of movies. After graduating from Guildhall, Orlando began work on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, spending 18 months in New Zealand bringing to life "Legolas", a part which made him a household name. Today, he is one of the busiest and most sought-after actors in the industry.- IMDb Mini Biography By: J.W. Braun
- SpouseMiranda Kerr(July 22, 2010 - 2013) (divorced, 1 child)
- Children
- ParentsSonia Constance Josephine CopelandHarry BloomColin Stone
- RelativesSamantha Bloom(Sibling)Sebastian Copeland(Cousin)
- Often cast in historical or fantasy-based "costume epic" roles (Kingdom ofHeaven, The Lord of the Rings, Troy, Pirates of the Caribbean)
- Often plays experts in weaponry, whether they be swordsmen (the Pirates of the Caribbean films) or archers (the Lord of the Rings films, Troy)
- 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.
- Wears a replica of the One Ring that says "To wherever it may lead." It was given to him by one of the makeup artists on the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- Underwent a great deal of training with knives, horseback riding, canoeing and archery before his role as Legolas.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6927 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 2, 2014.
- Found his dog, Sidi, while filming Kingdom of Heaven (2005).
- On his character Legolas and the way Legolas moves: Legolas doesn't speak a lot - he prefers to let his actions speak for him. Legolas' moves are smooth and elegant, like a cat. You know how cats can jump and land steadily on their paws? That's what I'm trying to do. There's a strength in that, but it's very balletic. It's also bloody hard to do without falling over!
- It's all very surreal. I've had two very fantastic experiences. In The Lord of the Rings and in Black Hawk Down. I feel very lucky. I'm sort of doubly excited.
- 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.
- On how he got the part in Black Hawk Down (2001): My character breaks his back, and I had mentioned I had done that when I was up for the part. Who knows why one actor gets a job and another doesn't? I think it was just good timing that I happened to be there and I had had the experience - I mean, I was lucky.
- 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.
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) - $11,900,000
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) - $11,900,000
- Elizabethtown (2005) - $3,000,000
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005) - $2,000,000
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - $175,000
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