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Interview with Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom attained worldwide
fame with his portrayal of Legolas in Peter Jackson's award-winning
"The Lord of the Rings" trilogy of celebrated J.R.R.
Tolkien adaptations: "The Fellowship of the Rings",
"The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King."
He will soon be seen in the upcoming epic "Troy" starring
Brad Pitt and Eric Bana, but for now in the upcoming film "Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" he plays
the handsome blacksmith Will Turner. Our own Jax caught up with
Orlando Bloom in Los Angeles to talk about playing a reluctant
pirate. Here is what he had to say:
 How
did you like playing the reluctant pirate?
Orlando: It was
awesome. Yeah, it was great fun. It was cool because Johnny kind
of created that mad kind of, didn’t--this incredible kind
of drunken sea legged Keith Richards thing which really didn’t
read like that on the page, so it was amazing to see it and left
me wide open to do what was there on the page for me, which was
kind of the earnest true blue straight shooting guy who kind of
has a--an interesting arc. It’s kind of a more human thing
about Will you know, but I really wanted to be doing what Johnny
did, so that’s why I had a little go at it in the middle
of the film. I was like, I was talking to him we were flying into
St Vincent and I said, “I want to be doing what you’re
doing.” Then I was like ah, I thought maybe I could do an
impression.” And he’s, “Yeah you should,”
and Jerry was there and Jerry was, “Give it a go man. Why
not? We’ll write it in.” and, so I got a little shot
at it.
Did you rehearse with
Johnny before you started shooting?
Orlando: We did
some, like some stuff together yeah, like fight stuff and things
like that yeah.
What did you think
when you saw what Johnny was going to do with his character?
Orlando: Well
I didn’t know, that was kind of—I didn’t actually
know that that was, I saw that when we started filming [laughs]
like everyone else did really. I was like, I knew he was going
to do a Depp number on it and I just didn’t really know
what it would be and when I saw it, it was like fantastic. I think
everyone else was like whhoooaaaa.
I think the studio was like whooaoaoa and then they got it, you
know what I mean? But like, that’s what, you know as a young
actor that’s what we learn much. When you go like, you see
somebody like Johnny who kind of creates a character from nothing.
He really puts himself out there he’s so brave and courageous
in the way he just goes okay. Cause that could fall flat on his
face, this is a Disney movie it could just go all wrong and it
could be no, no, no this is not going to work, but he goes with
it whole-heartily and like takes it there and every time he does
that, you know--it always works.
Do you go for it whole-heartily
too?
Orlando: I try.
I try to, I don’t, I don’t think I’ve been as—I’m
at the beginning of my career and I hope to get the opportunity
to sort of play some diverse, dark, interesting human stories.
Can you talk about
your character in “The Calcium Kid?”
Orlando: Yeah
that was fun and I got to be a bit of a clown in a way. It was
kind of like, but it was, Jimmy is like this sort of, sort of,
his is the through line. There’s all these mad characters
running, but Jimmy’s like a really simple sweet guy. It’s
aimed at a really young audience, it’s for kids, it’s
a really kind of young, twenties and younger kind of sweet movie…maybe
it will appeal to others as well, but it’s a very sweet
poppy kind of story and it was fun to make and I was working with
a friend Alex who did a great job. You know what someone told
me which is pretty funny. The budget of that movie, “The
Calcium Kid,” was the same as the after party for “Lord
of the Rings.” [Laughter] It was one point; it was made
for like a couple of million dollars or a million in a half…isn’t
that crazy?!
 What’s
it like to see yourself in a finished film and see that your performance
is not what you thought it would be?
Orlando: Oh it’s the worst! That’s
the way I’d seen it and you did this and they did that.
That sometimes happens not always but you know, I suppose that’s
part of the job isn’t it. And you can only do what you do,
and at the end of the day you want to put yourself in the hands
of the people who share the vision or you share there vision or
something. But essentially there feels that there kind of a right
of passage, you know what I mean, as a young actor and you gotta
kind of like, you gotta pay your dues and stuff, fortunately I’ve
been able to do that with great movies. I’m really bloody
lucky. Let’s face it, but like I’m hoping that now
I can start to, soon anyway after “Troy,” maybe I
can start, you know, doing stories that I really want to do and
work with directors who may be will want to work with me.
So how good are you
with a sword? In every movie you’re sword fighting.
Orlando: I don’t
know, it’s crazy isn’t? I haven’t chosen those
like that. I hasn’t been like, “Is there a sword in
that movie? Okay I’ll do it!” No, it’s just
kind of worked like that, I mean you know I’ve got all these
useless fucking skills, these great skills that are completely
useless in everyday life you know what I mean? [Laughter] Like
bow and arrow what am I going to do with that walking down the
street, yeah? [Laughter] I’m walking here.
Have you gone back
to New Zealand for more re-shoots on “Lord of the Rings?”
Orlando: Yeah.
I was so emotional to say goodbye to that. Ahhh it’s the
last time I’ve don the blonde wigs and the pointy ears.
They gave me the clapper boarder from the last shot, and my bow
and arrow and they cut together a little clip of all the bits
of leggy moments from the movie. There’s this bit, like
they played it to me, you know the eighties song [sings] “Hungry
Eyes,” [Laughter] so it’s like Viggo pulling his sword,
then there’s me going [Orlando bats his eyes]. Oh my God.
[Laughter] It was so funny! [Laughter] It was this whole homoerotic
thing and Ian’s going [Debonair look]!
Can we get a copy?
Orlando: Who
knows maybe Pete will put it on the DVD. Can you imagine!
Was the homoeroticness
of the friendships ever discussed on set?
Orlando: [Laughing]
Totally. We had such a laugh about that. You should see the photos
that we’ve got, the Polaroid’s we’ve got. [Orlando
does funny sexy faces, and he gets tons of laughter from everyone
at the table] But it was so much fun. You know what’s going
to be awesome…everything is documented and Pete loves that
shit! The gag reel that I think he’s going to do and stuff,
all that shit is going to be great.
 You’re
working with so many great actors in “Lord of the Rings,”
“Troy” and “Pirates,” how do you prepare
and not get intimidated?
Orlando: It just
raises the bar. It really does, it’s like, you know it’s
intimidating a little bit, but I was like, when I was working
with Johnny? I was like forget about it! Like forget the close
up gimme the two shot! [Laughter] Do you know what I mean? It’s
like [laughter] he’s so fucking cool.
What about Brad Pitt
on “Troy”?
Orlando: Yeah,
I wish I did more in terms of acting stuff with Brad in Troy.
He’s Achilles, he’s kind of a loner and does his stuff
with—he’s got his cousin, and he’s Hector he
battles with and stuff, but it’s amazing to work with the
people who you admire in the business and get so close to them
and experience them and what they’re doing. You know what
I mean? [Yeah, like being here and looking into your eyes, I love
my job.] It’s amazing!
We’re talking
about Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt and now you. How does it feel
to be mentioned along with them, and to know that women think
of you in the same way?
Orlando: It’s
weird you know, it’s very weird. You’re not doing
that for this. I’m not doing that for this…I love
the work you know what I mean. The rest of it is kind of like
I can see how you have to do it because it’s part of getting
the work done and getting the movie out there. Hence we’re
all sitting here, but I’m not really--I’m sort of,
I’m doing , I’m working as actor ‘cause love
working as an actor and I’m trying to figure out the rest
of it…It’s a weird by product.
Even so, there must
be moments when you look at magazines and see yourself, right?
Orlando: I just
don’t read those magazines and I don’t go out as much
as I used to. I don’t know, I do, it’s not that. You
just don’t take it seriously, you just realize that, you
know what, people say really horrible things in those magazines
about all sorts of people and I know for a fact Brad is like a
wicked guy, he’s like doing a fantastic job, and somebody
told me that there’s—somebody’s saying he’s
on steroids or some shit. Do me a fucking favor. The guy is like,
he has an amazing trainer. Have you seen his body? He doesn’t
need to. [We’d like to see Brad’s body up close, laughter]
Well I HAVE [laughter] and he doesn’t need to. It’s
just why do people do that? I guess they make money out of it;
people want to hear that shit. What can you do? I guess you just
think it’s like water off a duck’s back. It’s
all kind of new for me and hopefully I won’t get it too
bad.
If you have any questions, or
comments, you can write me at jax@latinoreview.com.
Pirates of the
Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl opens on July 9
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