Orlando Bloom is returning to the stage in London in the play Killer Joe. His run opens May 18. The Times had a nice write up about Orlando and talked about him entering the “second act” of his career. I haven’t read a long interview on Orlando in a long time. Even though I saw how hot he was as Legolas and Will Turner, he didn’t ping my heartstrings truly until I saw him Extras. It didn’t last long and I forgotten a lot about him so this interview reminded of some of the crazier stuff. I did remember he’d broken his back in his 20s but I’d forgotten how the man he thought was his dad actually wasn’t. Of course the interview turned form career progression to love-life progression and naked paddle-boarding because, why not? So he spoke about his seven-year old son Flynn and whether he and Katy Perry are destined to be more than just Pope-blessed “darlings”.
On joint-custody of Flynn with Miranda Kerr: “It’s very amicable, it’s very grown-up, it’s very, ‘What’s best for Flynn?’ ”
On his naked paddle board pic: “I will say that I had no idea it was going to happen. I really would just like the whole thing to go away. I am not embarrassed about it, but it is just hilarious to me that people still want to talk about it. It speaks to where we are in our culture. I mean, I could talk to you about Unicef for an hour, really bend your ear. I mean, you know, I get it . . . but you do just think, ‘Oh what a shame!’ ”
On his relationship with Katy Perry: “Because . . . you know . . . it is a very odd one. She’s a remarkable human being, actually. Completely surprising, because I am not her demographic. I am a little older than her, so I wasn’t someone overly familiar with her artistic endeavours when we met. I wouldn’t have imagined anything happening. And, you know, when you get hit sideways you get hit sideways. You don’t pick who you fall in love with. And then you come around and there’s all sorts of things that happen in between, right?
“We have had . . .” He corrects his tense. “We had a really remarkable connection. And it’s difficult. She’s on tour, I’m doing a play, everything evolves. I have a lot of respect for her and a lot of deep feeling. So we will see.”
On advice he’d give his younger self: “Just don’t take it too seriously, son. I mean, there was a time when I felt the weight of it. I was here, there and everywhere a little bit. Whether it was coming through for fans of Legolas from the Lord of the Rings or whatever, I put a lot of pressure on myself. Somehow, I took it all a bit seriously.”
I like his advice to his younger self. The Mister says something similar, “If I’d know how it would all turn out, I wouldn’t have worried so much back then.” I’m glad Orlando and Miranda make it work for Flynn. They didn’t make a lot of sense to me as a couple anyway. As for Katy, I don’t know what to say. I like them together, for what it’s worth. When they first started it seemed like Orlando was chasing her and that she was disinterested. I don’t think anyone was that surprised when they broke up. Ever since they started hanging out with each other again, they’ve been pushing the narrative that they are label-less and keeping it casual. But I kind of believe this version more. They gravitated back to each other because they really like – love? – each other but they don’t know what to make of it and their schedules aren’t conducive to finding out right now. So, we’ll all just have to wait and see. That’s cool. For now we’ll have to settle for their Rome selfies.
Orlando’s last stage performance was in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway in 2013. At that time, the 36 year-old Orlando assumed the role of a Romeo, who is supposed to be 19 years old. I smacked my head along with the rest of you but in this interview, Orlando spoke about the show, saying, “I just felt that I wouldn’t have been good enough when I was younger.” I didn’t see it and have no idea if he worked in that role, but I can see his point. Personally, I would rather see a well performed older Romeo that a poorly performed young one.
Photo credit: WENN Photos and Getty Images
I FEEL this. The “odd match” part. I’m in my 20s and work on TV. My partner is a science geek 18 years my senior. People just don’t get it. We didn’t choose to be in love, although of course we choose to be together.
To quote another Katy venture, “you love who you love”!
Oh please. Mr. Internationally Famous Actor did not think anyone would take pix of him dangling his schlong over his internationally famous singer girlfriend while paddle boarding nude at a public beach?!!
He seems so cranky that it still gets press. And yet, his advice to his younger self does not include “do not go naked paddle boarding.”
Except you do. You 100%, completely, totally, and truly pick who you fall in love with. Unlike many, many other aspects of our lives: the families we’re born into, our neighbors, our coworkers, etc. … Our romantic partnerships are fully, completely and totally a CHOICE.
Do relationships work in real life that don’t match up to some perceived partnership checklist we may hold? Abso-freaking-lutely. It is still our choice to get involved with those people that go against a certain type or imagined ideal.
‘I can’t help it, I’m in love with him/her,’ is the sort of thing said in abusive/destructive relationships. Letting choice be taken from the equation is how people who leave partners for new loves, or enter into relationships with unavailable people, absolve themselves of guilt.
You can’t help who you love is a lame, fake excuse for any manner of bad deeds and even worse judgement. In reality there is very, very little in our 21st century lives that involves more choice and free will than whom we choose to love.
Except you’re conflating two different things – being in love, versus being in a relationship. You absolutely can choose who you are in a relationship with, but I disagree that you can always choose who you love.
Attraction is somewhat biological; In that you can look at someone you know nothing about and find them physically attractive in a sexual way. Love is entirely emotional, a.k.a. mental/intellectual, and while attraction is part of romantic love, falling in love is not something that just happens outside of your control, it’s a series of choices and decisions you make. To get all scientific, being in love does have certain effects on your brain chemistry that can absolutely effect judgement, etc. and there are all kinds of mental, emotional and social conditioning reasons way beyond conscious thought that lead people to make decisions, good and bad, when it comes to whom they fall in love with. But they’re still decisions.
I’m definitely not saying I’m above making foolish romantic picks (far from it), just rolling my eyes at the idea that being “in love” isn’t a choice, or series of choices made.
Thank you! I totally agree. Love is totally a choice. Who decide to make an effort with, get back together with, etc – it’s all a choice. Besides I’ve realized that a lot of what people call love is actually lust and/infatuation and that usually wears off after a couple of years.
I don’t think you can really love someone until you’ve taken the time to get to know them. Love is a verb and it’s action; it’s more than a feeling.
I’m not really sure what the point of your rant is S, since I don’t see any evidence of Katy and Orlando’s relationship being abusive. Either way, people can’t always help who they have feelings for. You can choose whether or not to spend time with someone or enter a relationship with them, but sometimes feelings just evolve in ways that aren’t always expected.
If you’ve never experienced love that grew organically, then fine. But not everyone has the same experiences as you.
No one knows for sure how old Romeo is supposed to be but he is young, probably younger than 19, maybe 16 or 17. But we do know for sure how old Juliet is, 13 years old. So, maybe stay away from the argument that we need to remain faithful to the source material, huh?!
to me in a stage play presentation it does not really matter. Most people are sitting far enough away, and so much stage makeup/wizardry is in effect that the age of the actor is not readily discernible. The famous Victorian era actress Sarah Bernhardt played ingenue roles well into her 60’s.
He comes across well here I think, except for the comment on the naked paddle boarding. His comments on his relationship with Katie seem very honest.
Wow, he looks hot in the first picture. It’s the first time in a long while that I’m thinking that about him.