"Lord of the Rings," "Book of Boba Fett," "Doctor Who" Stars Join FAN EXPO Chicago

Orlando Bloom, Ming-Na Wen, Jodie Whittaker, and Mandip Gill to Meet Fans at Fandom’s Biggest Celebration August 15 - 17

Chicago, Illinois (April 9, 2025) – Chicago’s longest-running comic and pop culture convention, FAN EXPO Chicagotoday announced additional guests for this year’s already impressive lineup. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and LORD OF THE RINGS franchise star Orlando Bloom and Ming-Na Wen, star of THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT and Chicago-set ER will join the star-studded event along with DOCTOR WHO’s Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill, August 15 - 17, 2025 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. 

Following his breakout role as the elf Legolas in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, Orlando Bloom cultivated a reputation for appearing in epic fantasy and adventure films, including the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN series, the role of Paris in TROY, and the Duke of Buckingham in THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Bloom then went on to star in Afghanistan War drama THE OUTPOST and the Amazon Prime series CARNIVAL ROW. He made his theatre debut in IN CELEBRATION on the West End in 2007, and appeared in a West End revival of Tracy Letts’ KILLER JOE in 2018.

A Disney Legend for her work in MULAN and MULAN II, Ming-Na Wen first captured the attention of audiences worldwide in her breakout role as June in THE JOY LUCK CLUB before joining the cast of Chicago-set medical drama ER. No stranger to sci-fi and comic book action, she is well known for the role of Melinda May in Marvel’sAGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., and her appearances as bounty hunter Fennec Shand in several STAR WARS universe shows including STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH, THE MANDALORIAN, and THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT.

Jodie Whittaker received a British Independent Film Award nomination and a Satellite Award nomination for her feature film debut VENUS, and earned acclaim for her roles in ATTACK THE BLOCK and the BLACK MIRRORepisode, “The Entire History of You.” In 2018, Whittaker became DOCTOR WHO’s thirteenth Doctor, a role she played from 2018 - 2022. Last summer, it was announced that Whittaker would reprise the role, with a new series to release in 2025.

Before being cast as companion Yasmin Khan in DOCTOR WHO in 2018, Mandip Gill appeared in Channel 4 soap HOLLYOAKS. Following her departure from the series, she went on to have guest roles in CUCKOO, CASUALTY, and THE GOOD KARMA HOSPITAL. She is set to reprise her role as Yasmin Khan alongside Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor in a new series of DOCTOR WHO, releasing in 2025.

Wen, Whittaker, and Gill join previously announced guests including CLUELESS star Alicia Silverstone; THE GOOD PLACE and THE ACOLYTE’s Manny Jacinto; and TWILIGHT fan favorites Kellan Lutz and Peter Facinelli; with more guest announcements to come; at this year’s FAN EXPO.

FAN EXPO Chicago runs August 15 - 17, 2025 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. Show hours are Friday 4 - 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tickets start at $40 during the advanced pricing window through July 31, 2025, and begin at $48 from August 1 through the end of the show; 3-day passes and VIP packages also available at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpochicago/buy-tickets/. More information and updates can be found at fanexpochicago.com. 

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For images, visit the Fan Expo Chicago Media Center 

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