Polly Gillespie: Orlando is ... elf, action man, naughty ninja and, best of all, Daddy

Orlando Bloom looks back on his time in New Zealand fondly. Photo / AP

Opinion

The first time I met Orlando Bloom was at the re-release of Return of the King. When he sat cross-legged he could wind one leg right around the other. I found that impressive.

Apparently he dated a friend early on when he arrived in town at the age of like 19, but no one knew who Orlando Bloom was back then. He was just a slim, cute boy straight out of theatre school. Fast forward 10 years and he is now an international sex symbol. I feel like he's at least part Kiwi. He lived here for almost five years of his life. Surely that gets him a Kiwi passport, right?

Orlando Bloom is a willow and a ninja. He tells me in his interview that he did all sorts of naughty things he wasn't supposed to when he was back here last filming The Hobbit series.

He really should not have been mountain biking down crazy dirt tracks on Mt Victoria, after all no one wants a broken elf. It strikes me that like anything on a real windy day in Wellington, he has to move. Orlando loves action. He's rapid, and engaging, and exuberant. I need a vitamin B shot just to keep up with him.

Orlando looks back on his time in New Zealand fondly.

"Looking back on that time is like the golden years, it makes me feel old, it could never be repeated and I feel lucky to have that in my life. Being in Wellington and living in New Zealand was a very positive influence on my life, the quality of life, the way people choose to live and the focus on the right kind of living."

Fatherhood is clearly what he enjoys most in life. He loves being Flynn's Daddy, and my heartstrings are pulled. I always feel for separated parents. It must be so hard not to have full access to your children 24/7.

They are making it work because, I think - and I'm only assuming here - that both Orlando and his ex are truly good people who want the best for their son.

I'm referring to his "ex" as his "ex" because I'm bloody sure he gets sick of having her name wafted about constantly. How awful would it be to always have your ex's name in parenthesis every time your name was mentioned?

Orlando is now a single, doting dad who loves to talk Shakespeare and fatherhood. I think he's quite a catch.

Polly Gillespie is from The Polly and Grant Show, on The Hits and iHeartRadio, which launched yesterday. The interview with Orlando Bloom will air after 7.30am today.