Orlando Bloom in Singapore for Braun Buffel's 130th anniversary
Nearly 10 years after “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” was released, British actor Orlando Bloom finally managed to see the real Singapore.
The Hollywood star was in Singapore to celebrate the 130th anniversary of fashion brand Braun Buffel at the National Gallery Singapore’s Supreme Court Terrace.
In the movie, which is the third instalment of the “Pirates” franchise, a fictitious Singapore was featured looking like a dreary fishing town headed by pirate lord Captain Sao Feng, played by Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat.
On Thursday (3 August), Bloom finally got to witness in person how different the country really is. “The people have been so welcoming, so beautiful, so friendly. Such a vibrant city… The skyline is this crazy futuristic thing. There’s a really wonderful quality,” said Bloom, who was in Singapore for the first time.
Before the event, the 40-year-old Bloom visited the popular Yayoi Kusama exhibition that’s currently happening at the National Gallery Singapore, which he wanted to see before it closed for the day at 7pm. He also called the National Gallery Singapore building, Singapore’s old Supreme Court, “remarkable”.
“I was marvelling at how they have married the new architecture with the old. In a country like this, in Singapore, you can get that done,” he said.
Bloom, who is also known for his role as Legolas in the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, also shared with reporters about his love for the luxury German brand.
“I am particularly fond of the leather goods and their dedication to excellence and craftsmanship. When a company has been around for that long, there’s a certain timeless quality. And that’s something to appreciate,” said Bloom, who recently received a leather rucksack that has not been released by Braun Buffel.
Bloom, the avid traveller
Sharing his most commonly carried items, Bloom said he normally has his phone, sunglasses, headphones and a cap in his bag, and occasionally a neck pillow “just in case I want to pass out somewhere”.
The avid traveller and UNICEF’ Goodwill Ambassador came to Singapore just after visiting Dhaka, Bangladesh, calling the trip “incredibly intense” and “extremely rewarding”. “I’ve never quite seen such a level of real poverty, and yet a remarkable human strength and appreciation of life in many ways in such a challenging environment,” he said.
“I’ve worked with UNICEF for the past 10 years and one of the greatest gifts of having become someone who is recognised through the film work that I’ve done was the ability to become an international ambassador for UNICEF,” Bloom said.
He gave the example of seeing UNICEF saving the lives of women and children in “some of the poorest countries” in the world, and in circumstances that were hard for the everyday man to relate to because “we kind of live in a bubble”.
“(I) get to step outside of my bubble, which can be a very big protective bubble. I feel most grateful,” he said.
Upcoming roles
Apart from his other roles, Bloom also talked about his acting. His upcoming movie, “S.M.A.R.T Chase”, was shot in Shanghai, China, and is slated to be out on 30 September.
“It was a movie that was made with Chinese parts for the Chinese markets specifically because it has that kind of fun, action, caper feel to it. And it all takes place in Shanghai,” Bloom said.
“I play an expat, who lives and works in Shanghai in security and transport of art and antiquities, and he gets caught up in a heist. So it’s fun, it’s good,” he shared.
He will also be in a sports doping mockumentary called “Tour de Pharmacy”, alongside Andy Samberg. The father of one and former husband to Australian model Miranda Kerr also said he plans to return to Los Angeles after his visit in Singapore to work on personal projects.
“I’ve been working on a performance piece… I can’t tell you too much about what I’m going to do. But I think I’ve decided to do something that I’m going to enjoy and I hope my fans will enjoy too. It’s a bit of a fantasy world… it’s a sort of historical fantasy world,” he said.
Maybe he’ll be playing an overpowered elf with a bow and arrow again?
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