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

"I was an adventurous baby," recalled the accident-prone... 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 the elf-prince Legolas Greenleaf in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy (2001-2003) just two days before graduation.

Bloom followed up with the role of blacksmith Will Turner 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).

"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 a BBC 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.