Orlando Bloom has reflected on Keira Knightley’s comments about Pirates of the Caribbean.
The actor played Knightley’s love interest Will Turner in three of the swashbuckling adventure films from 2003 to 2007, with the pair returning as a cameo in 2017 sequel Dead Men Tell No Tales.
While the franchise made global stars of both Bloom and Knightley, the British actor said in a recent interview that it wasn’t all fun and games starring in the films as she felt the franchise was simultaneously “making and breaking” her.
“I was seen as s*** because of them, and yet because they did so well I was given the opportunity to do the films that I ended up getting Oscar nominations for,” the star of Pride and Prejudice and Atonement told The Times.
Bloom has now spoken out about Knightley’s musings on her experience, telling Entertainment Weekly: “I definitely understand where Keira was coming from, and she does wonderful things [in the films].
The actor said that he has “a lot of positive takeaways” from his time starring in the blockbusters.
He continued: “It was such a huge moment in time that is almost like … it feels almost like another lifetime now. But it certainly was unique and, you know, I’m always grateful.”
Elaborating on her time starring in the Pirates franchise, Knightley said: “They were the most successful films I’ll ever be a part of and they were the reason that I was taken down publicly.
“So they’re a very confused place in my head.”
A sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film is in the works, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer appearing to confirm in 2024 that lead star Johnny Depp would not be involved.
The producing maestro, whose Top Gun: Maverick had huge box office success in 2022, told ComicBook.com: “With Top Gun, you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant [Tom Cruise]. But we’re gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors.”
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
The possibility of Depp returning to the Pirates franchise was the subject of testimony during his defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard.
Depp was asked by Heard’s lawyer: “If Disney came to you with $300m dollars and a million alpacas, nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a Pirates of the Caribbean film?”
“That is true,” Depp answered.
While the legal battle was ongoing, Bruckheimer told The Times that Disney had no plans to bring Depp back as Captain Jack Sparrow, but added: “The future is yet to be decided.”
