Question: What do you know about handsome Orlando Bloom from the Lord of the Rings film? I'm totally smitten with him. --Andrea Bradford, Salt Lake City

You're not alone, if my mail is any indication. Bloom, 25, became an instant heartthrob with his portrayal of Legolas, the blond, elfin archer in Rings. The English-born actor, whose nickname is Orli, is amused by, and wary of, his newfound popularity: "I find it amazing that people get so excited." Bloom, who headed to India when Rings hit theaters, has said that he "doesn't care much about the money at all" and that he would work without pay if it entailed onscreen smooching. He didn't get to do that in Black Hawk Down, but the thrill seeker - he likes to bungee-junp, sky-dive and paraglide - acted out a 60-foot fall from a helicopter. Bloom had a close call in real life: After breaking his back four years ago, he was told he might never walk again. But 12 days (and one operation) later, he walked out of the hospital.