Orlando Bloom isn’t letting rumors or a recent breakup keep him from enjoying a good laugh, especially when it comes from a satirical news source.
This week, The Onion, the popular parody outlet, posted a fictional story claiming the Pirates of the Caribbean star was spotted having a romantic dinner with none other than former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The headline and AI-generated image quickly made rounds on social media, eliciting a plethora of reactions online. It seemed to playfully echo real-life headlines about Bloom’s ex-fiancée Katy Perry and her rumored connection with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“Just weeks after announcing his split with fiancée Katy Perry, English actor Orlando Bloom was photographed Friday dining with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel,” the post read. The fake insider added, “Angela kept Orlando laughing all night—he couldn’t keep his eyes off her!”
According to the satirical piece, the pair was seen “sipping wine, slurping oysters, and splitting a decadent piece of chocolate layer cake at a Michelin-starred restaurant.”
However, interestingly enough, rather than taking offense or ignoring it, Bloom responded with a sense of humor. He jumped into the comments section and left a string of clapping emojis, expressing his appreciation for the joke.
The playful post arrives just weeks after Bloom and Perry officially confirmed the status of their relationship. In a joint statement shared with E! News on July 3, representatives for the couple clarified that they have been “shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on coparenting.”
“They will continue to be seen together as a family,” the statement continued, “as their shared priority is—and always will be—raising their daughter with love, stability and mutual respect.”
Orlando and Katy, who got engaged in 2019 and share a daughter, Daisy Dove, have always kept fans intrigued with their dynamic. As for Bloom’s “date” with Merkel? Fans shouldn’t expect any real romantic revelations.