It’s easy to forget how quickly Orlando Bloom became a global phenomenon. His role as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings trilogy brought him straight out of drama school and turned him into an instant star. Two years later, the momentum only grew when he slipped into the leather boots of Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean, another blockbuster franchise that made him one of the defining faces of early-2000s cinema. By the time he appeared in historical epics like Troy and Kingdom of Heaven, Bloom wasn’t just a star — he was Hollywood’s chosen leading man.
That easily summed up the meteoric rise of Bloom’s career — a reality greater than any dream for someone who described acting as one of the “great joys and privileges” of his life. After nearly a decade of back-to-back blockbusters, Bloom took time to step back to reconnect with the artistry that first drew him in, exploring theatre and independent projects, giving himself a period of recalibration. From indies like Haven and Main Street to Cameron Crowe’s Elizabethtown, and later stage work in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway, it was less about fame, and more about rediscovering the craft on his own terms.
Reflecting on the contrast between blockbuster productions and smaller projects, Bloom explains, “Large blockbuster star movies are wonderful experiences, but in some ways, there’s a more personal feel to a smaller, lower-budget production. People are giving their time and energy for less pay, but for their commitment to the art of making a movie and the creative process itself.”
Bloom is equally clear about what guides him when it comes to choosing between scale and depth in his next work, “I love both opportunities,” he continues. “Ultimately, I try to pick characters that I feel will have an impact — on society and on me. Roles where I can bring something of value, something that hopefully stands the test of time. That way, years from now, I can look back and say: whether it worked or not, at least I gave it everything, and I’m proud of what I did. That’s really where I make my decisions these days.”
That philosophy extends to the fundamentals of the craft itself. “What matters most are the script, the director, and of course the people you’re working with. I try to align all of those. Sometimes you get all three, and that’s the sweet spot,” says Bloom.
Bloom says this with no hesitation, a conviction that stems from knowing, deep down, that acting was the path he wanted to take, the goal he set out to achieve. He admits he never seriously considered another career, saying, “I focused all of my energy and intention into becoming an actor at a very young age and pursued that vigorously and wholeheartedly.” Even now, nearly three decades later, his passion hasn’t waned, sharing that being on set is “one of my favourite places to be.”
Until today, the same fire still burns. “I still love the first day of filming, the excitement, the nerves, the anticipation — getting into the costume, putting the shoes of the character on, embodying the idea of who that character is to me and how that character will come alive on set. Between the director calling action and cut, there is a moment of energy-filled, light-filled, character-filled joy and expression. It’s still something that I thrive on today,” he says.
Once a heartthrob, Bloom is now a seasoned actor with staying power, and credits that to a humble formula of dedication, joy, and appreciation. “I’ve never been jaded. I’ve always appreciated the opportunity to go to work.”
To this day, Blooms still attribute his enduring success to teamwork. “Making a movie is a hugely collaborative effort. Without each and every part of the team — from the grips, sparks and runners to the writers, directors, DOP and actors — nothing can get done,” he says. That respect for peers, that recognition that everyone has a role to play, has defined how he shows up on set.
“Everyone’s trying to do their best job. It takes patience, understanding, and showing up on time. You have to add value to the process, bring ideas, bring solutions — because working on a set can be really challenging. It takes more than one person to make it a success — it takes the team, and I’ve always enjoyed that aspect of being part of a team, sharing a vision of a movie.”
In recent years, Bloom has returned with a new purpose, as an actor taking on new challenges. Earlier in June, he played Marlon Swift inDeep Cover, a struggling improv actor who is recruited by an undercover cop to infiltrate London’s criminal underworld. This role marks Bloom’s first foray into action-comedy, as Marlon fights with wit rather than weapons.
Another one of his latest projects, which just premiered earlier this month in September, presents him with a challenge that pushed him out of comfort zone. In The Cut, Bloom takes on the role of a boxer coming out of retirement and has to make a near-impossible weight drop for one last shot at redemption — and that puts him into the challenge itself. “I lost nearly 30 pounds in a very short period of time, which was not only incredibly difficult on my body, but also my brain and my psyche,” says Bloom. The physical demands pushed him to the edge, but so did the psychological toll, citing “the hunger, the stress, the dark inner thoughts that come with it” was the headspace he had to live in.
The transformation wasn’t just cosmetic — it was carefully planned with nutritionist Philip Golia, alongside a strict workout regime and diet protocols. Filming was done in reverse order so Bloom would appear at his lightest at the start of production and then gradually put weight back on as shooting progressed, allowing him to be in a better headspace while acting.
The Cut may have been one of the most challenging roles Bloom had of late, as he described it as “a dark headspace to live in and a difficult place to sit in”, but he certainly had no regrets that he did it. As with any role he is taking on, he embodies the characters and the psyche to understand the impulses, desires and motivation of the character, which Bloom describes as “part of the imaginative game of starting a character that’s so fun to be in.”
Bloom has evolved without losing the spark that first drew him to the stage. Perhaps, what has shifted is his definition of success. “When I was first starting out, success meant getting a job. Today, it’s about showing up and delivering, and creating something fulfilling and enjoyable,” he admits.
“I give myself credit for having staying power at this point as much as it is about having any kind of success because it takes a lot,” he adds.
It is this enduring spirit, the dedication and passion for the craft that secures Bloom’s place in cinema then, and now.
Photography: Paola Kudacki / MMXX Artists
Editorial Director: Jumius Wong
Style Director: Jenine Oh
Styling: Monty Jackson / A-Frame Agency
Producer: Alexey Galetskiy
Grooming: Lori Guidroz
Casting Director: Maddie Kelly / Creative Casting Agency
Photo assistants: Thomas Patton, James Wall
Digital Tech: Dominic Escalante
Styling assistants: Jake Mitchell, Mars Espinoza
Production: Ivan Shentalinskiy, Jackie Perry
