NEED TO KNOW
Orlando Bloom stars as a boxer obsessed with redemption at all costs in The Cut, in theaters Sept. 5
The actor, 48, tells PEOPLE his physical transformation for the role took a “mental toll” on him
Bloom says he lost 30 lbs. in three months under supervision by a team of experts, and he warns it’s “definitely not something to try at home”
Orlando Bloom is breaking down what went into his insane physical transformation as a boxer in the new film The Cut.
In the thriller, Bloom plays an ex-boxer who suffered a defeat that ended his champion career in the ring. Then, when he “trains for redemption,” a synopsis teases, an “obsession takes hold and reality unravels — and he may be spiraling into something far more terrifying.”
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Bloom, 48, tells PEOPLE he was “excited by the challenge” of transforming himself for the role.
“What I hadn’t expected and was surprised by was the mental toll that this kind of intense discipline takes,” he says. “The paranoia and anxiety were very real and disturbing, caused by the lack of sleep — turns out you can’t sleep when you’re hungry!”
Courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label)
Orlando Bloom in “The Cut”
Additionally, says Bloom, the “water restriction to get to my lowest weight for the final scenes led to obsessive thoughts of food, dreaming of what I could eat when finally off a diet of tuna and cucumber.”
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor warns that the length to which he went for The Cut is “definitely not something to try at home.”
Courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label)
Orlando Bloom and John Turturro in “The Cut”
He explains, “I was supervised weekly and my blood work monitored by an expert nutritionist, Phillip Goglia, who helped me lose 30 pounds in approximately three months.”
“Ultimately, this is a story about the struggles we all face and what it takes to battle our internal demons and find self-acceptance,” says Bloom.
Courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label)
Caitríona Balfe in “The Cut”
The film, directed by Sean Ellis and written by Justin Bull, also stars Caitríona Balfe and John Turturro. It had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
Ellis said in a previous statement that he appreciated how The Cut‘s screenplay “flipped the typical boxing narrative on its head, choosing to focus on the preparation and the personal journey of a boxer, rather than the ‘big fight’ itself.”
Courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label)
Orlando Bloom in “The Cut”
“This is essentially a boxing movie with no actual boxing, which I thought would make for an incredibly interesting look inside the sport,” said the director. “The film delves into the often-overlooked aspects of boxing, shedding light on the intense behind-the-scenes struggles Boxer faces, specifically the challenge of making weight.”
The filmmaker echoed that the movie “emphasizes that the true triumph is not in winning the fight but in the character’s realization and acceptance of what he needs to conquer his own demons.”
“I hope that audiences find the film’s conclusion to be cathartic, proving that the journey toward self-understanding and learning to ask for help is more important than any external victory,” he said. “This story is, at its core, one of healing.”
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The Cut is in theaters Sept. 5.
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