As a longtime fan ofOrlando Bloom’swork, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to conduct an extended hourlong interview with the busy actor about his career earlier this week. The primary reason we spoke was for hisfantasticwork in directorsLudwig ShammasianandPaul Shammasian’s new filmRetaliation. If you haven’t heard ofRetaliation(which is now available to rent on Amazon), it’s completely understandable. The movie is a true indie production where all the people involved were working because they loved the material and not for a paycheck. Also, it’s tough subject matter, as Bloom plays an adult victim of childhood sexual abuse who is forced to confront his past when his abuser moves back to his town. While the entire film does an excellent job building the world and making everything feel real and believable, it’s Bloom’s performance that turns this film into something special. He plays the character of Malky as a tortured soul trying to move forward while always being stuck in the past and you’re constantly unsure of what might happen next.
Even though Bloom has done some great work over the years, his work inRetaliationis near the top.While I know the subject matter is tough and not easy to watch,Retaliationis definitely worth your time.
In addition to talking aboutRetaliation, Bloom also shared what it was like makingRod Lurie’sThe Outpost(another excellent performance in a fantastic film), getting to work withRidley ScottonKingdom of Heavenand why the director’s cut is a superior version of the film, why he had so much fun working withRicky GervaisandStephen MerchantonExtras, what it was like makingPeter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Rings, why he’s excited for the upcomingLOTRAmazon series that he’ll be watching as a fan, why he was disappointed he couldn’t attend the Oscar ceremony whenReturn of the Kingwon all the awards, and why he signed on for Amazon’sCarnival Rowand why fans should be excited forCarnival Rowseason two. In addition, he shared the differences between West End and Broadway audiences, which movies he’s seen the most, his favorite ride at Disneyland, and a lot more.
Finally, forCarnival Rowfans, Bloom told me they were three weeks from being wrapped on season two when the pandemic forced the production to shut down. But instead of making everyone wait for them to finish filming, Amazon is planning on releasing the first five episodes ofCarnival Rowseason 2 and then adding an extra episode when they go back to finish the shoot. So they would release five episodes and then down the road the final four.
Check out the entire interview below and further down the page is a listing of everything we talked about including some key time indexes.
Orlando Bloom:
