On Orlando
Aug. 27th, 2002 06:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mollyringleOh, fine, I'll leave it up... :P
(Caution: those who have no interest in reading evaluation of hotness of actors would do best to skip this entry. Still, I've been told lately that it's normal to be lustier now than I was in my teen years, so this subject should not be cause for alarm. End of public service announcement.)
This seemed too stupid to bother putting on an LOTR community, so here it is, just for the hell of it...
On the ever-important subject of the actors in Lord of the Rings: I find, somewhat to my horror, that lately I am liking Orlando Bloom the best. Yes, they only gave him, like, ten lines. Yes, he's the choice of all the screaming, shallow teenyboppers. Yes, I am well past my dudes-with-long-hair phase. But all the same, let's review Why I Like Orlando. Reasons, in no particular order:
1. Stage training. Apparently he hasn't actually done many movies; his background is mostly in stage. And I've always noted that stage-trained performers are not only better actors but come across as more reasonable, responsible, and down-to-earth people.
2. Physical perfection. All right, might as well admit that this is a consideration. And it's not just the work of the wig-and-makeup people: in fact, I like him even better without the blonde wig and the blue contacts. Those behind-the-scenes interviews show that he looks mighty fine in untouched footage and street clothes. (Always been a sucker for dark wavy hair.)
3. Accent. Thought I was beyond this, too, but that cultured English-city-boy voice is icing on the cake. Incidentally, I have a question for the British gals who are currently in an Elijah Wood/Sean Astin fixation: do their American accents make them sexier to you? Or are the accents a feature you are merely willing to overlook? :) Just curious, as I've seldom discussed the situation with any of my sisters across the sea, and was under the impression that an American accent was never a plus with a Brit.
4. Age-appropriateness. Mr. Bloom is only a year and a half younger than me, which makes me feel much more comfortable than, say, eyeing Elijah, who was barely legal when he made the LOTR flicks. (Cute, yes, undoubtedly, but it really felt like I was checking out some kid I used to babysit.)
5. Personality. From what I can tell in the interviews, Orlando is articulate, relaxed, and tickled pink to be a part of LOTR (as any normal human would be). Has a good sense of humor too. Witness these quotes from imdb.com:
"Vig used to call me 'elf boy', and I'd call him 'filthy human'. As an Elf, I never got a scratch on me, never got dirty. And Vig would come out with blood and sweat all over him. And he'd say to me, 'Oh, go manicure your nails.'"
"I don't care much about the money at all. Frankly, if I get the chance to kiss someone in a movie, they wouldn't need to pay me at all."
6. Ass-kicking-ness. Have you SEEN him handle that bow, those knives, those swords?
7. Sense of perspective. A thing sorely lacking in many actors. I get this impression, again, from the interviews I've seen/read, but also from this little incident in his past: (quote from IMDB once more) "I broke my back. I fell out of a window... some friends had a roof terrace on the landing before their apartment, and I fell off the drain pipe. It gave way, actually, and I fell three floors. I was told I might not walk again. So, for about four days, I was contemplating that as a serious part of reality. Then they operated, and I walked out of the hospital in about twelve days." Well, at least, if *I* spent a few days thinking I was going to be a paraplegic, it would give me a certain new perspective on life.
Though I admit now, reading over this last one, that it seems very weird to say "I like this guy because he fell out a window." :)
Anyway. He's welcome to kiss me on film for free anytime. I'll even pay him. If I count up the change in my desk drawer, I think I could scrape together at least fourteen dollars.
(Caution: those who have no interest in reading evaluation of hotness of actors would do best to skip this entry. Still, I've been told lately that it's normal to be lustier now than I was in my teen years, so this subject should not be cause for alarm. End of public service announcement.)
This seemed too stupid to bother putting on an LOTR community, so here it is, just for the hell of it...
On the ever-important subject of the actors in Lord of the Rings: I find, somewhat to my horror, that lately I am liking Orlando Bloom the best. Yes, they only gave him, like, ten lines. Yes, he's the choice of all the screaming, shallow teenyboppers. Yes, I am well past my dudes-with-long-hair phase. But all the same, let's review Why I Like Orlando. Reasons, in no particular order:
1. Stage training. Apparently he hasn't actually done many movies; his background is mostly in stage. And I've always noted that stage-trained performers are not only better actors but come across as more reasonable, responsible, and down-to-earth people.
2. Physical perfection. All right, might as well admit that this is a consideration. And it's not just the work of the wig-and-makeup people: in fact, I like him even better without the blonde wig and the blue contacts. Those behind-the-scenes interviews show that he looks mighty fine in untouched footage and street clothes. (Always been a sucker for dark wavy hair.)
3. Accent. Thought I was beyond this, too, but that cultured English-city-boy voice is icing on the cake. Incidentally, I have a question for the British gals who are currently in an Elijah Wood/Sean Astin fixation: do their American accents make them sexier to you? Or are the accents a feature you are merely willing to overlook? :) Just curious, as I've seldom discussed the situation with any of my sisters across the sea, and was under the impression that an American accent was never a plus with a Brit.
4. Age-appropriateness. Mr. Bloom is only a year and a half younger than me, which makes me feel much more comfortable than, say, eyeing Elijah, who was barely legal when he made the LOTR flicks. (Cute, yes, undoubtedly, but it really felt like I was checking out some kid I used to babysit.)
5. Personality. From what I can tell in the interviews, Orlando is articulate, relaxed, and tickled pink to be a part of LOTR (as any normal human would be). Has a good sense of humor too. Witness these quotes from imdb.com:
"Vig used to call me 'elf boy', and I'd call him 'filthy human'. As an Elf, I never got a scratch on me, never got dirty. And Vig would come out with blood and sweat all over him. And he'd say to me, 'Oh, go manicure your nails.'"
"I don't care much about the money at all. Frankly, if I get the chance to kiss someone in a movie, they wouldn't need to pay me at all."
6. Ass-kicking-ness. Have you SEEN him handle that bow, those knives, those swords?
7. Sense of perspective. A thing sorely lacking in many actors. I get this impression, again, from the interviews I've seen/read, but also from this little incident in his past: (quote from IMDB once more) "I broke my back. I fell out of a window... some friends had a roof terrace on the landing before their apartment, and I fell off the drain pipe. It gave way, actually, and I fell three floors. I was told I might not walk again. So, for about four days, I was contemplating that as a serious part of reality. Then they operated, and I walked out of the hospital in about twelve days." Well, at least, if *I* spent a few days thinking I was going to be a paraplegic, it would give me a certain new perspective on life.
Though I admit now, reading over this last one, that it seems very weird to say "I like this guy because he fell out a window." :)
Anyway. He's welcome to kiss me on film for free anytime. I'll even pay him. If I count up the change in my desk drawer, I think I could scrape together at least fourteen dollars.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2002-08-28 03:16 am (UTC)I think they do :) After talking to my counterparts overseas, I now have the impression Americans like Brit accents, and Brit's like American accents. This might sound like an odd question, but as an American (I'm presuming that's what you are), do you notice your accent? Like I don't think I have an accent at all because I don't hear it, but no doubt my Englishness would be picked out over there because I speak differently.
Just wondering now you've brought up the subject :*)
no subject
Date: 2002-08-28 09:38 am (UTC)But I'm glad our accents don't immediately grate on your ears. That's what they've always told us, basically: Americans can't speak English and the Brits can barely stand the sound of our voices. Hehe.
(They don't say that in Linguistics classes, of course--to linguists, all accents and dialects are equal, and I'm slowly training myself to that point of view.)
no subject
Date: 2002-08-28 09:19 am (UTC)But then, you always seem to know what's up. I am not terribly surprised.
no subject
Date: 2002-08-28 09:30 am (UTC)But btw, I recently learned that he's a vegetarian, which would be completely incompatible with my highly carnivorous lifestyle. *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2002-08-28 10:19 am (UTC)I was actually VERY pleased to hear of the veggie thing, as I have been for... shit... this is my 6th year. Scary.
wow. Birthdays kinda suck. Heh. ;)
no subject
Date: 2002-08-28 11:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-08-28 12:20 pm (UTC)This is what he looked like in Dil Chata Hai. It was the movie that came out after Lagaan. I love that movie, and I even HATE cricket. What a horrid fucking game. Hehe.
I am mad for Hindi movies for some reason. That's just like me though... ;)
no subject
Date: 2002-08-29 04:40 pm (UTC)I watched Lord of the Rings again on Monday, only my second time though. I am excited about the next film!!
As for the accents thing: as an English girl, the American accent doesn't bother me, as long as it isn't heavy - I tend to prefer lightly accented people from whatever country. A posh English accent can be nice though, like the lovely Cary Elwes, as seen in my picture here. :)
no subject
Date: 2002-08-29 06:52 pm (UTC)I agree, being able to understand someone is a requirement for an attractive accent...heh. And yes, of course, Cary Elwes is a fine specimen! I've had a thing for him ever since 'Princess Bride.' (Who wouldn't, really?)
no subject
Date: 2002-08-30 04:54 am (UTC)I'd be happy to see you comment in my journal, too.
no subject
Date: 2002-08-30 01:00 pm (UTC)Now I shall go have a look at your journal too! :)
no subject
Date: 2002-08-30 04:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-08-31 02:31 pm (UTC)I'm just having a phase for it, because it's a good time to do so--middle of the new movies, which turned out to be so well-done, and all that. And there are parts of the books I could do without, in terms of them having little to do with the plot, but the parts that are good are *very* good. I guess I'm drawn to the skillful mix of age-old mythological issues and modern-style character interactions. (Or rather, modern speaking styles. The actual nature of the relationships are just as age-old as the good-vs-evil plot devices.) Fantasy is so easy to write badly; I like to appreciate it when it's done right. :) (And of course nearly all fantasy writers since the '50s have emulated Tolkien in some way.)