The 30-year-old Pirates Of The Caribbean star plays one of three sons, who return home to Yorkshire for a family reunion, but the celebration is fraught with long-held grudges.

Denise Welch, whose husband Tim Healy plays Orlando’s father, said: "The performances are excellent. I was interested to see Orlando, because of all the hype. It’s a very brave decision of his and I think it’s working especially because he hasn’t got the biggest part."

The actress, who has appeared in TV dramas including The Bill and Holby City, added that Orlando looks up to Tim and had even promised her son Louis a sword fight.

"Tim has been a mentor [to Orlando] and he’s really enjoyed working with him and bringing him on and I think it’s really sweet.

"From what he’s told Tim, he just finds his whole movie star existence quite surreal still so he just wanted to remind himself [of the stage]," she added.


Orlando could be icon - May 29 2007
Pirates Of The Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer believes Orlando Bloom could follow in the steps of one of Hollywood’s legendary actors.

The producer, who previously worked with Orlando on 2001’s Black Hawk Down, said: "He could be this generation’s Errol Flynn. No doubt in my mind.

"He’s handsome, he’s debonair, he’s a good actor, he’s got a great smile. He’s smart.

"It’s all about choices, if actors make the right choices. He’s got the talent, so it comes down to what he picks and the directors and people he works with."

And director Gore Verbinski also had plenty of praise for the 30-year-old, saying the actor brought the perfect blend of innocence and gravity to his Pirates character, Will Turner.

"In the first movie, I needed somebody who could be two things. One, sort of a blossoming leading man, but also a little bit awkward," he revealed.

"Then we’re going to germinate that and grow that, and he’s going to ultimately become as complex and as dark as the rest of the characters in the movie."

Orlando to star on London stage - May 25 2007
Orlando Bloom is returning to the UK from the US - temporarily swapping Hollywood for the London stage.

The 30-year-old British star of the Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy revealed his plans in an interview in Beverly Hills, California.

"It’s been an incredible ride," he said. "And it’s been wonderful but I’m sort of psyched to do something completely different."

Hence, he’s returning to the theatre to appear in David Storey’s play, In Celebration.

Sailing straight from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama into Hollywood’s spotlight was "huge" and "surreal," the star said, an experience that moved him "to go back to the beginning, as if I’ve just come out of school again".

He said of his new challenge: "I’m looking forward to continuing working on movies and making choices that excite me, and right now that is doing some theatre."

"Actors don’t really get into their stride until they’re in their late 30s and 40s. ... So when I think of the bigger picture, I’ve got a long road ahead and I think it’s going to be important for me as an actor to work on my craft in this way," he added.

And Orlando didn’t use his star power to snag a leading role.