Orlando Bloom Says Geri Halliwell Teased Him and David Harbour About Their Pop Star Partners (Exclusive)

The pair star together in 'Gran Turismo,' in theaters Aug. 11.

Most people know Geri Halliwell as a former Spice Girl, but she's also racing royalty!

The singer makes a rare dramatic turn in the upcoming film Gran Turismo, a movie based on the popular series of racing video games, and the real-life story of Jann Mardenborough, a teenage gamer who aspires to be an actual race car driver. 

It's a setting Halliwell was more familiar with than some might expect. Since 2015, she's been married to Christian Horner, the team principal of the Red Bull Racing Formula One team.

"She's a familiar face in the [racing] world," co-star Orlando Bloom noted when ET's Cassie DiLaura joined the cast on the set of the upcoming film. "So it's great that she was able to come in, and she was fantastic. She actually had some fun."

Bloom -- who plays marketing executive Danny Moore in the film, a character based on real-life GT Academy founder Darren Cox -- told ET that Halliwell sized him up right away on set. But it wasn't because of his acting career, it was because of his fiancée, Katy Perry!

After the pair took a photo together, Bloom recalled, Halliwell insisted that he send it to Perry.

"It's a very funny photo, because actually she made this comment -- David [Harbour] is also married to a pop star," he recalled. "So she's like, 'I gotta get a photo with you two, because you two can handle pop stars.'"

Bloom and Perry have been engaged since February 2019, and welcomed daughter Daisy on Aug. 26, 2020. Meanwhile, Harbour and Lily Allen tied the knot in Las Vegas in September 2020.

Midsommar's Archie Madekwe stars as Mardenborough in the film, and had nothing but praise for Halliwell, who plays his character's mother, Lesley, alongside Djimon Hounsou, who plays Mardenborough's father, Steve.

"She's incredible. She is also a brilliant actor as well," he raved. "I think that she came in I'm sure a little bit nervous, but has held her own in the scenes in such a good way. She's just so supportive. It's like she's been on set forever. She's supportive and lovely and kind and generous. And I think that just goes for the whole cast. Everyone is just incredible."

For Halliwell's part, she said getting to flex her dramatic chops while telling a real-life story was "amazing."

"It is a positive story, but it's a real story," she explained. "For me to be part of this story, this ride, in such an amazing game that everybody knows across the world... to be with these amazing actors and such talent, is an absolute privilege."

"It's fun to play passion," Bloom agreed. "It's fun to play the joy of the sport... The fans are so fanatical of the sport, so I'm basically playing a fanatical fan of the sport, and that's fun."

Gran Turismo races into theaters Aug. 11.

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