Background:

"Basically, I can say I'm acting because of the women." Women worldwide are thrilled Orlando Bloom feels this way. 5' 11", brown-eyed and viewed as one of the hottest, sexiest, most sought out young stars in film today, Orlando Bloom first crashed into fan's hearts with his role as Legolas Greenleaf, the bow and arrow elf warrior of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Not only handsome, Orlando is sensitive and tough. During the filming of the trilogy, he performed most of his own stunt work and actually broke a rib after a fall from his horse.

"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, my finger and a toe and I've cracked my skull three times."

He's marked with a tattoo on his forearm (a Elvish symbol) in remembrance of the Lord of the Ring movies, and admits he likes nice, sweet girls and feel women are beautiful.

"Women are beautiful. They deserve to be cherished and respected. They're a handful."

Orlando has also trained in the arts and can act.

All of these attributes and talents will likely never be forgotten by Bloom's fans.

(On being part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy) "I feel privileged, and I feel blessed to be a part of this project. I loved the movie. I've seen it a couple of times now, and I just feel so proud of it. I feel like if I do nothing else, at least I've done Lord of the Rings."

A Star Is Born

Childhood and Family:

British Orlando Bloom was born on January 13, 1977 in Canterbury, England to parents Harry and Sonya Bloom. His father, a well-know South African lawyer, writer and civil rights activist, died of a stroke when Orlando was just four years old.

Orlando's mother continued to raise both he and his sister, Samantha, with the help of a family friend by the name of Colin Stone. When Orlando was 13, his mother shared with him the fact that Colin was actually his biological father, not Harry Bloom.

"When my father (Harry) died, Colin Stone was made my guardian. He was always a close family friend but I always thought Harry was my biological father. I found out that Colin was my father, not Harry, but Colin." - Orlando Bloom

Getting an education was a struggle for Orlando due to the fact he suffers from dyslexia (although the condition is less severe for him as an adult). He attended St. Edmunds School in Canterbury and joined the National Youth Theatre, in London, at age 16. There he earned a scholarship to attend the British American Drama Academy and landed small parts in British television shows and in the movie, Wilde.

Orlando continued his love of the arts by attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. While he was there, Orlando fell three stories from a rooftop and suffered from a broken back. Despite fears that he would be permanently paralyzed, Orlando recovered from his injuries.

While attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Orlando was noticed by Director Peter Jackson, who encouraged him to audition for a set of movies Jackson was working on. It was this character, the elf-warrior Legolas, from the blockbuster film Lord of the Rings, that propelled Orlando to instant stardom.

Legends and Fame

Career:

Long before Orlando Bloom reached stardom with his role as Legolas in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, he acted in plays, TV shows (primarily British) and commercials. His serious, fearless character Legolas Greenleaf in the 2001, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring movie brilliantly showcased a remarkable character (along with other brilliant characters) and rocketed a young talent to instant fame.

After a smaller role in the movie Black Hawk Down (2001) and doing the voice for Legolas in the animated version of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Orlando returned in his role in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. In 2003 Orlando played Joe Byrne in the drama Ned Kelly, also starring Heath Ledger.

In 2003, Orlando found himself acting beside one of his own favorite actors, Johnny Depp, in the successful pirate adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. His fame continued to reach the highest of heights with the third release of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). A small role in the forgettable The Calcium Kid (2004) soon followed.

In 2004 another successful film debuted. The epic Troy cast, including Brad Pitt, Brian Cox, Julian Glover and Orlando Bloom, hit the screens in full Grecian glory. The movie Haven (2004), cast Orlando as British native Shy.

Fans can also look forward to seeing Orlando in the upcoming films: Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Elizabethtown (2005) and the highly anticipated Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (2006).

Awards:

• Empire Film Awards: Best Debut Performance, LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS (2004)
• Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2004)
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Best Acting Ensemble, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2004)
• National Board of Review: Best Ensemble Performance, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)
• Hollywood Film Festival: Breakthrough Acting Award (2003)
• MTV Movie Awards: Best Breakthrough Performance, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS (2002)