Orlando Bloom wanted to test himself for his latest adventure project. Not by eating something gross or visiting a new country. He wanted to risk death 㽶Ƶֱ with not one but three extreme sports.
The Peacock sees the 㽶ƵֱPirates of the Caribbean㽶Ƶֱ star shoot through the sky thousands of feet above the ground, dive into a deep sinkhole and rock climb hundreds of feet.
㽶ƵֱWhile I was at moments scared for my life during the show, having come out the other end of it I feel way more capable,㽶Ƶֱ Bloom tells The Associated Press.
The series, which debuts Thursday, was born from the pandemic, which made outside adventures even more alluring. It met the perfect host in a man who is a natural risk-taker. When he made his Broadway debut in 㽶ƵֱRomeo and Juliet,㽶Ƶֱ he roared onto the stage on a Triumph motorcycle.
㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm like a collector of experiences in some ways,㽶Ƶֱ he says. 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱve been remarkably gifted and fortunate to have some unique ones, but this was definitely like, 㽶ƵֱOh, wow, I㽶Ƶֱm capable of this. Therefore I can do anything.㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ
First up was wingsuiting 㽶Ƶֱ skydiving in a special jumpsuit that adds lift so you can glide longer before opening your parachute. Bloom㽶Ƶֱs goal was to jump out of plane at 13,000 feet (3,962 meters) fly 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) over the Pacific Ocean and land on the beach.
Then he heads to the Bahamas, to a 663-foot-deep (202 meters) hole in the ocean, with the aim of plunging to 100 feet (30.5 meters) on just one breath. After that, it㽶Ƶֱs off to Utah to climb a 400-foot (122 meter) tower and stand on a summit the size of a pizza box.
㽶ƵֱWe all experience fear. It㽶Ƶֱs how we face this fear that defines us,㽶Ƶֱ Bloom says in the first episode. 㽶ƵֱI never feel so alive being so close to death.㽶Ƶֱ
There were some heart-in-your throat moments, like on his seventh skydiving jump, where Bloom needed to activate his reserve chute, something that is necessary just 1 in 1,000 times. And for his 21st jump, he did it holding hands with his 80-year-old uncle, Christopher Copeland, a master skydiver.
Usually it takes 200 solo skydives before anyone is allowed to wingsuit but Bloom convinces his instructor in just two weeks. his partner, is on hand for the first wobbly flight, embracing her man after he lands and lovingly calling him 㽶Ƶֱa flying wombat.㽶Ƶֱ
Bloom battles ear pain to attempt the 100-foot (30.5 meter) freedive and practicing a breath exercise leaves him in tears, struggling and sweating. Freediving turns out to require a slowing heart, conserving energy and relaxing 㽶Ƶֱ the opposite of most sports.
The rock climbing challenge sees a usual 2-3 year training process condensed into a week. There was added stress because Bloom broke his back in a fall in his 20s and really didn㽶Ƶֱt want to do that again.
㽶ƵֱJust remember if everything hurts and you want to puke, you㽶Ƶֱre doing it right,㽶Ƶֱ an instructor helpfully tells him. Bloom also leans into his Buddhist belief, meditating and chanting in the run-up to each daredevil step.
Bloom joins a crowded field of adventure-seeking celeb TV hosts, which includes Zac Efron, Chris Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci, Macaulay Culkin and Ewan McGregor.
Bloom, already a guy who went to the gym twice a day, was a quick learner and even emerged with a skydiving license. But he had one-on-one help from experts usually out of the reach of regular thrillseekers, like Maureen 㽶ƵֱMo㽶Ƶֱ Beck, a gold medal at the 2014 Spanish Paraclimbing World Championships, and Camila Jaber, the youngest female freediver to break records.
Bloom credits his instructors for their patience, expertise and teaching him to trust them and their gear. His life was in their hands but very often, their lives were in his hands.
㽶ƵֱIt wasn㽶Ƶֱt just as simple as like, 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm just going to go with the flow here.㽶Ƶֱ No, I learned the tools. There are protocols,㽶Ƶֱ he says. 㽶ƵֱThere is a framework with which I was working. And while I was doing that, I was able to get into a rhythm, into a flow, and achieve things that I never thought I would ever do in my lifetime.㽶Ƶֱ
Bloom hopes viewers will tune in to see a novice achieve remarkable feats but also to inspire them to get outside their comfort zones, be it perhaps by managing public speaking or learning a new language.
㽶ƵֱFor me, the idea of the show was like, 㽶ƵֱWell, what is it for you?㽶Ƶֱ he asks. 㽶ƵֱWhat is your version of jumping out of a plane? It doesn㽶Ƶֱt have to be physical or death defying in some form or another.㽶Ƶֱ
Bloom says he㽶Ƶֱs in a happy place, with a good career, a loving partner and great children. That made the stakes even higher for the new series.
㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm very grateful for my life,㽶Ƶֱ he says. 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm even more grateful having survived 㽶ƵֱOrlando Bloom: To the Edge.㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ