ORLANDO BLOOM - BLOOM BECOMES BUDDHIST

Movie hunk ORLANDO BLOOM has committed himself to Buddhism in an hour-long ceremony in Britain.

The LORD OF THE RINGS star joined 60 others in a ritual at the SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST MOVEMENT headquarters at Taplow Court Mansion in Maidenhead, England, on Saturday (04DEC04) reports British newspaper DAILY MIRROR.

The publicity-shy actor visited the centre to receive his Gohonzon - a Chinese and Sandskrit characters on it - from director RICKY BARNES.

One visitor says, "He shook Ricky's hand like the other people getting their Gohonzons and looked calm. When everyone had theirs we all clapped and cheered.

"Afterwards we all had a cup of tea together and Orlando went to the gift shop. People were queuing up to get his autograph and have their picture taken with him.

"He was very friendly and didn't seem to mind."