Orlando Bloom to Receive BAFTA’s Humanitarian Award

Orlando Bloom Smiling
Orlando Bloom at the Giffoni Film Festival 2015 in Valle Piana, Italy (Photo by Stefania D’Alessandro / Getty Images for Giffoni Film Festival)

Actor Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit film series) is the 2015 recipient of the Britannia Humanitarian Award presented by British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles). The Britannia Humanitarian Award is bestowed on an individual “who has used the art form of the moving image or their position in the entertainment industry to create positive social change, and actively shine a light on important humanitarian issues.”

“At BAFTA Los Angeles, we recognize that our industry’s power to raise social awareness and push for change is enormous. Orlando Bloom’s incredible work with UNICEF and many other charities demonstrates that immense power and he has consistently gone above and beyond as an active, engaged campaigner for real solutions to urgent global issues,” stated BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman, Kieran Breen. “We are delighted to honor Orlando with this award and to draw a spotlight on the issues he cares about most.”

Previous honorees include Idris Elba, Richard Curtis, Don Cheadle, Colin Firth, and Mark Ruffalo.

Bloom is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and travels the globe in that capacity working with UNICEF to reach children in underdeveloped countries. “We applaud Orlando’s passionate commitment to the rights of young people around the world,” said Event Co-Chairs, Deborah Kolar and Adam Bialow.

Oscar winner Meryl Streep was previously announced as the recipient of this year’s Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film. Sam Mendes will receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing, James Corden earned the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year, and Amy Schumer was named the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy winner. The awards ceremony is set for October 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA.