Orlando Bloom recently spoke with Variety about his famous films and characters. He recalled his audition for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ franchise during the interview.
The actor noted that he originally wanted the role of Faramir but was thought for Legolas later in the casting process:
“I had an audition to play Faramir. I think they were probably just sifting through London, all cities around the world to try and find these characters, and I guess I probably fit the blurb of Faramir at the time. Then, I got a call-back to put myself on tape initially for Legolas, and then I got another call-back to meet Peter [Jackson] and Fran [Walsh], who had come to London. Then, I waited. I was at drama school. Yeah, the rest is history.”
The Actor’s Thoughts About J.R.R. Tolkien’s Elf
The role of Faramir went to David Wenham in the end. Meanwhile, Legolas was Bloom’s breakthrough, and playing him caused a ‘huge pressure’ on the actor:
“Legolas was this remarkable character to play. Obviously, I felt huge pressure because the character I knew was very beloved within the books, one of my favorite characters in the books when I read them. So, I had this sense of like wanting a deep desire to land the character correctly, at least for the fans of the books.”
New LOTR Projects Are On The Way
Orlando Bloom first appeared as the elf in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ in 2001 and later returned for ‘The Two Towers’ and ‘The Return of the King.’ He also starred as Will Turner in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ series from the early 2000s on.
Warner Bros. Discovery now has two new projects for ‘The Lord of the Rings’ universe. The first film, ‘The Hunt for Gollum,’ will arrive in 2026. Andy Serkis will return to direct and lead it.
