Orlando Bloom recently told Entertainment Weekly that Kiera Knightley did “wonderful things” in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, a few months after she revealed that she endured public shaming because of her work in the movies. The two actors starred as love interests Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann in 2003’s “Curse of the Black Pearl,” 2006’s “Dead Man’s Chest” and 2007’s “At World’s End.” Knightley was just 17 years old when she filmed the first movie.
“It was such a huge moment in time that is almost like…it feels almost like another lifetime now,” Bloom said. “But it certainly was unique and, you know, I’m always grateful. But I definitely understand where Keira was coming from, and she does wonderful things…I have a lot of positive takeaways.”
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Knightley said in an interview with The Times of London last November that the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise was “making and breaking” her at the same time.
“I was seen as shit 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,” Knightley explained. “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.”
When asked about the possibility of starring in another Hollywood franchise, Knightley shut it down by saying: “The hours are insane. It’s years of your life. You have no control over where you’re filming, how long you’re filming, what you’re filming.”
A reboot of the “Pirates” franchise is currently in development from original producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Bloom told EW that he’s heard the producer is “pretty excited” about bringing the franchise back, adding: “It’ll be interesting to see. Jerry always brings out the big guns, as it were – pardon the pun. Cannons, I should say.”
Would Bloom return as Will Turner? “Listen, it was a wild and fun experience so, you know, never say never,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for that experience, and Jerry, and the whole thing. But who knows? I mean, it’s sort of one of those things I really haven’t thought about it, really. I’m happy that I got to be a part of something that feels like it’s standing the test of time, which is cool.”