Orlando Bloom says this daily practice helps him find peace amid fame, pressure and public life
Actor Orlando Bloom is spiritually inclined and has often spoken about how practising Nichiren Buddhism shaped both his personal life and acting career.The The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean star has been a member of Soka Gakkai for many years.In an interview on the Buddhability podcast, produced by SGI-USA, the actor said the practice gave him a sense of direction when he was starting out as an actor.
Started Buddhism at 16
Bloom eft home at the age of 16 to attend drama school in London. While preparing for a sculpture exam, he met an art teacher who was a Soka Gakkai member.He recalled hearing the teacher chant “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” in another room and asking what he was doing.“He replied, ‘Well, I am chanting that you’re going do really well in your exams. You’re going to have a really successful life.’ I asked, ‘Well, will it help?’ and he said that it would. So, I just started chanting with him,” Bloom said.The actor said the teacher later introduced him to the Gohonzon, the object of devotion in Nichiren Buddhism, and shared encouragement through the writings of Daisaku Ikeda.“It was all logical and practical and, in a way, very accessible,” Bloom said. He added that what convinced him most was the idea of taking responsibility for his own life.“I liked the idea that it was my responsibility to be the best I could be and that I wasn’t asking somebody to help me be better.”
The turning point
Bloom also spoke about the accident that nearly changed his life when he was 21. He broke his back after falling three floors while trying to reach a roof terrace at a friend’s house. He said doctors initially warned that he might never walk again.“After about two weeks and following surgery, I walked out of hospital on crutches having been told I’d be in hospital for six months,” he said.Looking back, Bloom said the accident became a turning point rather than just a setback. “I try to look at the accident as a bonus. At such a young age, those experiences enabled me to think about my life.”He linked the experience to the Buddhist idea of turning “poison into medicine”, where difficult experiences can become opportunities for personal growth.
Chanting helped career
Soon after recovering from his injury, Bloom was cast as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings, the role that launched his international career. He described getting the part as a surreal moment. “It was wild. It was a wild ‘pinch me’ moment.”Bloom said he relied on chanting while dealing with auditions, stage fright and self-doubt. “I was absolutely chanting to fulfil my mission. There’s no shadow of a doubt in my mind that it enabled me to navigate those times in my life.”As his career grew, he said the attention and public scrutiny became difficult to handle, but his Buddhist practice helped him stay grounded. “My Buddhist practice was an anchor and felt very grounding.”He also said he drew inspiration from Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa while developing the character of Legolas, wanting the elf warrior to feel more human rather than simply otherworldly.
Bloom’s message for people
Bloom said the practice teaches people to take responsibility for their own lives rather than expect others to solve their problems.“The thing that’s amazing about this practice is that we have the potential to be Buddhas… We’re the ones who are responsible for our lives.”He added that Buddhism does not prevent people from making mistakes but helps them deal with challenges more wisely.“We’re not going to avoid making mistakes… However, with this Buddhist practice, we gain the wisdom to navigate whatever obstacles arise from our mistakes.”Speaking about today’s world, Bloom said, “In the troubled times we are living in, this Buddhist practice gives us a tool, a philosophy and a discipline that I think we need more than ever.”
