Orlando Bloom with controversial performance artist Tracey Emin “at the launch of her new exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, Scotland” 8/3/08. Credit: BARM/Fame Pictures

Orlando Bloom made his career playing eye candy in huge Hollywood films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Troy and Kingdom of Heaven, but now that he’s on the other side of 30, Orlando seems to be re-evaluating his career.

The final film in the Pirates trilogy, released in 2007 to nearly universal critical disdain, was the last time Orlando was seen on the big screen. He has a small part in the film anthology New York, I Love You, out in 2009, and has been rumored off-and-on to star opposite Liam Neeson and Yun-Fat Chow in the Johnny To film The Red Circle.

Despite being rumored to go naked in Equus, Orlando instead took a small part in the London production of In Celebration last summer.

Since then, he’s been in the news mostly for his environmental work with Global Cool and his relationship with Victoria’s Secret supermodel Miranda Kerr.

Finally, it seems Orlando may have a new film in the works. It won’t be a huge Bruckheimer blockbuster, but a smaller film about the siege of Sarajevo by Bosnian Serbs in the early nineties. The film is based on the book Fools Rush In by Bill Carter, and would be directed by Brazilian director Andrucha Waddington.

Orlando told reporters in Sarajevo, “A film is a very specific and personal account of Bill Carter’s experience in Sarajevo during the war and we would very much like to make the film here.”

He hopes to begin shooting the film by the end of the year. The Sarajevo mayor has promised financial support.

Orlando would not be playing protagonist Bill Carter in this film. I haven’t read the book, so I’m not sure which character he would be playing or who would play Carter.

He is also reported to be producing. He has a previous producer credit on the 2004 film Haven, in which he also had a role.

It’s possible these smaller roles are Orlando’s choice. He was reportedly burned out after making back-to-back sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean. Smaller stage and film roles, as well as producing, are a way to get back to his acting roots.

On the other hand, the reign of a Hollywood pretty boy is always short-lived. Nearly every article on Ben Barnes of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian fame tagged him the second coming of Orlando Bloom, and Jake Gyllenhaal is playing the title role in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a role seemingly tailor-made for sword-and-sandal vet Orlando. Maybe these smaller roles are all he can get.

Either way, it’s probably a good move. Orlando doesn’t have the force of Leonardo DiCaprio, so he’s better off following in the footsteps of another dethroned pretty boy, Josh Hartnett, and taking small gritty independent roles, but staying away from dating Scarlett Johannson.

Of course, the Lord of the Rings fangirl in me doesn’t care if he makes Japanese hair-care product commercials for the rest of his life, as long as he dons the tights and bow again as Legolas in Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming Rings prequels.

Note by Celebitchy: Here’s Orlando Bloom’s Uno hair get commercial. It also features Japanese actress Chiaki Kuriyama.

Thanks to Orlando News for the tip.

Orlando is shown in header at the Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, Scotland on 8/3/08 with artist Tracey Emin. It was the opening of her new exhibition. Credit: BARM/Fame Pictures. Other photos thanks to Allmoviephoto.