Listen to the full Fan Expo Philadelphia 2026 panel, ‘Master of Middle-Earth and the High Seas: Orlando Bloom’s Fantasy Legacy,’ above.

Twenty-five years after being cast as Legolas in ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ Orlando Bloom still sounds a little amazed by how it all happened.

The Actor Awards-winning star generously appeared before a packed audience during Fan Expo Philadelphia 2026 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, May 30. During a panel titled ‘Master of Middle-Earth and the High Seas: Orlando Bloom’s Fantasy Legacy,’ which was held on the Main Stage, he looked back on the role that changed his life, the friendships that defined an era and the lessons he’s still learning as a performer a quarter century later.

“It’s weird because it feels both like a lifetime ago and yesterday,” Bloom said of the landmark fantasy trilogy.

When Peter Jackson’s epic adaptation was casting, Bloom wasn’t an established star. He was still a student at drama school in London, juggling classes with the occasional acting job.

“I really felt like I needed the training,” he recalled. “I wanted an education that I would genuinely enjoy.”

Before Middle-earth came calling, Bloom had appeared in a single episode of the British medical drama ‘Casualty’ and landed a small role in ‘Wilde’ alongside Jude Law and Stephen Fry. He had an agent and was auditioning, but success felt far from guaranteed.

His journey to Legolas began with an audition for Faramir before casting directors brought him back to read for the elf prince.

Bloom credits his dyslexia with helping him stand out. “One of the gifts of dyslexia is that you prepare differently,” he said. “I learned all my lines. I always came in really prepared.”

After multiple rounds of auditions and weeks of silence, the call finally arrived. He was told: “You’re going to play Legolas in ‘The Lord of the Rings’.”

Bloom’s reaction was anything but calm. “I literally freaked out,” he laughed. “I jumped up and down.”

The actor’s first real connection with his future castmates came before filming had even begun. “He came up to me in the airport and said, ‘You look like an elf,'” Bloom remembered of Billy Boyd, who would go on to play Pippin.

The two ended up sharing a birthday toast in an airport lounge before flying to New Zealand, where Bloom would spend months training before cameras rolled.

“I had a house, a car, an electric garage door, and spending money,” he said. “I felt like a proper adult.”

The preparation was extensive. Bloom trained in horseback riding, archery, and movement work to create the physicality of Legolas.

“I didn’t want him to be a stereotypical warrior elf,” he explained.

Looking back, he still describes the experience as “magical.”

While fans often talk about the famous friendship among the hobbit actors, Bloom insists he was never entirely spared from their mischief. “I was the butt of every joke,” he joked.

Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd frequently teased him about Legolas’ perfect hair and flawless appearance throughout the trilogy. “I never got a scratch,” Bloom said. “Viggo (Mortensen) was always annoyed about that too.”

Despite the ribbing, the cast became a family. Bloom particularly singled out Billy Boyd’s kindness and described Mortensen as an important mentor during filming.

“I sat next to Viggo in the makeup chair every day,” he recalled. “He was a role model in so many ways.”

Watching Mortensen work left a lasting impression. “He was an artist in every sense of the word. Painting, writing poetry, living like Aragorn.”

One of the more surprising revelations from Bloom was how inexperienced he still felt while making some of the biggest films of his career.

Most actors spend years learning the mechanics of filmmaking before appearing in blockbuster franchises. Bloom was learning on the job while starring in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and later ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ “I was really learning screen craft,” he said.

Drama school had taught him how to perform, but not necessarily how to work with cameras. “I learned about wide shots, medium shots, close-ups, and how to adjust performance for each.”

Even now, Bloom says he still sees himself as a student. “I don’t think I’ve learned it all. That’s what I still love about making movies.”

In recent years, Bloom has embraced a different kind of challenge. For his series ‘Orlando Bloom: To the Edge,’ the actor pushed himself into extreme situations, including skydiving, wingsuit flying and free diving. The experiences were as much psychological as physical.

Free diving, in particular, left a profound impression. “I swam to 102 feet on a single breath,” he said. “The scary part is the mental battle. You’re asking yourself if you’ll have enough air to come back up.”

The project emerged from a desire to explore fear after the uncertainty many people experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Fear gets in the way of peace,” Bloom reflected. “Fear of the unknown, fear of losing what we’ve got, fear of not getting what we want.”

His takeaway was simple but powerful. “If you prepare properly and trust the process, you can move through fear.”

Now in his forties, Bloom says he’s become more selective about the projects he takes on. One example is ‘The Cut,’ a boxing drama he also produced. Rather than focusing on the fight itself, the film explores the brutal reality of weight cutting and the psychological toll it takes on athletes.

A few years ago, Bloom made a conscious decision to prioritize challenging characters over chasing blockbuster visibility. “I wanted to do roles that I would feel good about doing and learn something from,” he said. The shift reflects both personal and professional growth.

Most importantly, family now factors heavily into every career decision. “When you have kids, leaving home has to be for a really good reason,” he said. “You’re no longer the most important person in the room.”

Despite a career that has included global franchises, historical epics and decades of fan adoration, Bloom remains remarkably grounded about his place in the industry. “I never feel like I’ve arrived,” he said. “I always feel like I’m learning.”

Two-and-a-half decades after stepping into Middle-earth, that curiosity appears unchanged. Whether discussing Legolas, skydiving or the challenges of fatherhood, Bloom spoke with the same sense of wonder that first carried a young drama student from London to New Zealand. Judging by the audience reaction, fans are still happy to follow him on the journey.