Life is fine for actor Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom (1977-), born on this day in the small town of Canterbury, England. Called a "global phenomenon" by GQ magazine, his parents named him after 17th century composer Orlando Gibbons.

"I was an adventurous baby," recalled the dislexic actor. "As I child I was in and out of the hospital so many times."

"I've broken my back, my ribs, my nose, both my legs, my arm, my wrist, my finger and a toe and I've cracked my skull three times."

Chasing fame, Bloom left home for London at a 16, attended drama school on a scholarship, and nabbed the breakout role of Legolas Greenleaf in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy (2001-2003) just two days before graduation.

Dedicated to the role of the 2,931 year-old warrior prince, he worked hard to learn his character's Celtic-Old English accent, how to ride horseback, shoot with a bow and arrow, and fight with swords. He wore a long blond wig, blue contacts, and makeup.

He said, "Fame and celebrity were not something that I contemplated because they were too far ahead to imagine."

Bloom followed up with the role of blacksmith Will Turner, what he called "the best gig in the world," in the swashbuckling hit Pirates Of The Caribbean (2002), holding his own with co-star Johnny Depp and playing the lead in Elizabethtown (2005) and Kingdom of Heaven (2005). In a few short years, he became an international superstar.

"There are 'pinch me' moments when you can't believe it's all happened, but you take each day at a time and try to have as much fun as possible," he said in aBBC interview.

"I'm living my dream. I love my job and I'm having a ball."

More Film-Making Quotations

Trust in yourself and in your life.