Actor Orlando Bloom has told how terrorism threats have made him more concerned than ever about being in public open spaces with his six-year-old son.

He said recent global attacks, combined with his work on espionage thriller Unlocked, had heightened his nerves.

He told the Press Association: “Sometimes I will be in parks, or big theme parks or whatever, with (my son), suddenly I think ‘Oh this is a bit… this could be one of those weird places where something…’

Premiere of Unlocked – London
Orlando Bloom, centre, at the Unlocked premiere in London with Michael Epp, Georgie Townsley, Michael Apted and Claudia Bluemhuber (Ian West/PA)

“I have never really had that before, it is a bit of a scary place the world we’re living in today.”

Bloom compared the current political climate to his training days as a young actor when he was “constantly being pulled off the Tube due to bomb scares with the IRA”.

But despite his own experiences, he said he wants to raise Flynn, the son he shares with ex-wife Miranda Kerr, “very much apart” from a sense of fear.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star plays Jack Alcott in upcoming Unlocked, an Iraq war veteran who seemingly comes to the aid of CIA agent Alice Racine (Noomie Rapace) after she becomes lured into a dangerous plan to unleash a biological attack on London.


Having celebrated his 40th birthday earlier this year, Bloom said he is pleased to be moving on to playing “grittier” characters.

“It was great to be that wild card,” he said, “I wanted to have that ex-military, hired gun, somebody who has probably done time as well as done service… You’re kind of not sure where he is coming from.

“The last few years have really been for me about being present for my son and this was a great opportunity to come in and show a completely different side of myself.”

But he will still be reprising his role as Will Turner in the fantasy franchise that saw him shoot to global stardom alongside Keira Knightley and Johnny Depp.

Pirates Of The Caribbean II Premiere
Back in the day – Bloom and Knightley launch Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest in 2006 (Ian West/PA)


He told how Pirates Of The Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge, launching in UK cinemas next month, will mark another fatherly rite of passage for him as it sees his on-screen son take centre stage.

He said: “I kind of book-end the movie – it’s about my son going off and trying to figure out how to rescue me from the bottom of the ocean, because I am still in Davy Jones’ Locker.

“The narrative is very similar to the first film and there’s a unique and interesting love story kind of mirroring the story we saw with me and Keira.”

Unlocked comes to UK cinemas on Friday May 5.