Orlando Bloom Recalls His ‘Unbelievable’ Experience Joining ‘The Lord Of The Rings’

April 10, 2025: Orlando Bloom recently recalled his unforgettable journey as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings trilogy during a panel at Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. The actor shared the excitement and awe he felt when he first joined the legendary cast, coming out of drama school to work with iconic figures in filmmaking.

Speaking about the early days of shooting the 2001 epic, Bloom expressed that the experience was surreal. “I remember sitting there coming out of drama school with all of these legends… thinking, ‘What am I doing here? How did this happen? This is unbelievable,’” he said, reflecting on the extraordinary opportunity.

He went on to describe the sense of excitement that fueled his early work on the film, admitting that at 20 years old, he had no idea what the films would ultimately become. “It was my first movie experience. I was just like an open vessel, and it’s about that anticipation, that excitement… Your whole life is beginning and you’re beginning this remarkable journey,” Bloom added.

The actor, who played the iconic elf Legolas, was joined by his Lord of the Rings co-stars Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, and Jonathan Rhys-Davies at the panel, where they all shared memories from their time making the groundbreaking trilogy.

Tyler, who played the ethereal Arwen, also opened up about the immense responsibility she felt portraying the character. “The whole experience was so exciting and terrifying… There was just so much that we had to learn,” she shared. Reflecting on her character, she noted the challenge of fleshing out Arwen’s role, as the character had less presence in the books compared to others.

“I’m still sort of in awe and inspired by her today,” Tyler continued, recalling how, like Bloom, they were all young and unaware of how monumental the films would become.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy went on to gross a historic $2.9 billion worldwide, cementing its legacy as one of the most successful and beloved film franchises in history.