There are many eye-opening things about British hunk Orlando Bloom that might surprise even his biggest fans. From his romantic belief in love at first sight to the unexpected influence he’s had on modern archery, check out these 18 revealing facts about the Pirates of the Caribbean star.

 

Bloom Has The Honor Of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

 

 

Orlando Bloom was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2009 and has traveled all over the world, including raising awareness in 2016 to war-torn Eastern Ukraine, where he visited a classroom of underprivileged children. Take one look at his Instagram feed, and you’ll be moved by all the incredible work he has done around the globe.

 

He Has A Tattoo Of An Elvish Word

 

 

When the last Lord of the Rings wrapped up, Orlando Bloom and his castmates Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Sean Bean all celebrated by getting tattoos of the number nine in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Elvish Tengwar script. Nine, of course, stands for the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring in Tolkien’s fantastical universe. Talk about #SquadGoals.

 

He Believes In Love At First Sight

 

 

Many Orlando-lovers pretty experienced love at first sight, seeing him onscreen for the first time, and the actor told Elle: “I really believe in, you know, that sort of heart-to-heart connection.” His real love life, however, hasn’t been as movie magical. He split from his wife of three years Miranda Kerr in 2013, and his relationship with superstar Katy Perry has been under loads of scrutiny, especially after naked photos of Bloom paddleboarding were released.

 

His Name Is Inspired By Composer Orlando Gibbons

 

 

Being a patron of the arts, Bloom’s mother Sonia, named him after her favorite English composer Orlando Gibbons. Clearly, his mom’s artistic side rubbed off on the actor, as it was also Sonia who first encouraged Bloom to take drama classes.

 

Bloom Was Misled About His Father’s True Identity

 

 

For the early part of his life, Bloom mistakenly believed his biological father was anti-apartheid activist, lawyer, and author Harry Bloom, his mother’s husband who died when Orlando was 4. His mother later told him at age 13 that his father was their close family friend, Colin Stone, his mother’s partner after Harry’s death and the man who had been raising him.

 

His Love For Fans Is Seriously Extreme

 

 

In 2007, an obsessed female fan was so angry at Bloom for never speaking to her, despite showing up at all his movie premieres, that she broke into his hotel room to see him. Rather than call the police (as he was 100 percent warranted to do), Bloom apologized and gave the crazy fan a hug. But don’t let this give you any ideas…

 

He’s Been Diagnosed With Dyslexia

 

 

Bloom was diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven. The learning disability made school difficult, but he claims it benefited him when he was auditioning for roles because he had to learn everything so thoroughly, forcing him to be well prepared. The way he talks about his diagnosis is so inspiring, saying: “When my mother told me that I was dyslexic, it was both a gift and a bit of a cross to bear, but she tried to make me feel like it was something special and I was going to be great with it.” His acting career has definitely proven that he is.

 

He Had A Surprising Response To Breaking His Back

 

 

When he was 21, Bloom had a terrifying accident. He fell three stories while climbing to a rooftop terrace. He broke his back and was left paralyzed for four days. Reportedly, his first question when he woke up was to ask whether he’d have sex again. Luckily for him and every swooning girl and guy in the world, the answer was yes. Phew.

 

His Home Was Targeted By The Infamous Bling Ring

 

 

No, it wasn’t just an Emma Watson movie. The real-life Bling Ring robbed homes of celebs, including Bloom and then-wife Miranda Kerr, Paris Hilton, Megan Fox, Rachel Bilson, and Audrina Patridge. The notorious thieves reportedly stole half a million dollars worth of things from Bloom’s home, including his watch collection. Understandably, Bloom has said that the robbery left him distrustful of people around him.

 

He’s Definitely Man Enough For A “Ballet Body”

 

 

One look at that killer bod and you know Bloom knows his way around a gym. He’s been known to weight lift, play tennis, and mountain bike. He’s also not afraid to show his (stereotypically) feminine workout side. Bloom gets fit in pilates classes, saying: “I’m man enough to walk into Ballet Bodies.”

 

He’s A Practicing Buddhist

 

 

Bloom was raised in the Church of England, but he converted to Nichiren Buddhism in 2004 and became a member of the U.K. branch of Soko Gakkai International. Rumor has it, his enthusiasm for the peaceful religion is also swaying his girlfriend Katy Perry to convert. Talking about his religious beliefs, Bloom has said: “The philosophy I’ve embraced isn’t about sitting under a tree and studying my navel, it’s about studying what is going on in my daily life and using that as fuel to live a bigger life.”

 

His Legolas Skills Brought Archery Back To The U.K.

 

 

Blooms badass bow and arrow skills in the Lord of Rings trilogy actually set off an archery movement in the U.K., a trend Legolas passed along to Katniss Everdeen after The Hunger Games. The iconic movies inspired many kids to sign up for lessons at archery schools. (Um, including us.)

 

Bloom Actually Picked Up Girls On The Subway

 

 

When he was growing up, Bloom used to fall in love with girls on the subway. His pickup line like was: “This sounds crazy, but would you like to grab a coffee? I want to talk to you.” Take a deep breath, because does that mean we have a chance? BRB, currently spending days on subway platforms looking fabulous.

 

There’s A Reason He’s So Good With Swords

 

 

Bloom graduated from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and there’s no doubt his training directly impacted his massive action roles. Part of his schooling was in “stage combat,” and Will Turner thanks him for that when he has to face Captain Jack Sparrow.

 

He’s His Own Boss

 

 

Bloom has produced several of his own projects, including the upcoming action feature Smart Chase: Fire & Earth, in which he stars as a security agent who is ambushed while escorting a valuable Chinese antique out of Shanghai. He’s basically as much as a badass behind the camera as he is in front of it.

 

Acting Runs In The Bloom Family

 

 

Though she may not have as Hollywood a name as Orlando, his older sister Samantha Bloom is an actress back in the U.K., even acting in the Pride & Prejudice 2005 adaptation, starring none other than Orlando’s on-screen love Keira Knightly.

 

Orlando Is Known For Being Accident Prone

 

 

Bloom admits he’s accident prone, and his extensive list of injuries backs up the claim. We already mentioned his near-crippling back injury, but he’s also broken both legs, and his ribs, arm, finger, toe, and nose. Oh, and he has cracked his skull three times. But he seems to heal nicely. I mean, just look at him.

 

He Was (Obviously) Named Britain’s Most Desirable Date

 

 

Sure, Bloom has won plenty of distinguished acting awards from organizations like the Screen Actor’s Guild. But come on! He’s just as impressive (and totally well earned) when he was named Britain’s Most Desirable Date by Cosmopolitan readers in 2007. Because obviously.