In casting Sully, Cameron had two very particular, very other visions in thoughts.
Plan A? Matt Damon. “The Bourne Identification” megastar advised GQ in 2019, “When he presented it to me, he is going, ‘Now, concentrate. I are not looking for anyone. I are not looking for a name for this, a named actor. If you do not take this, I am going to to find an unknown actor and provides it to him, since the movie does not in point of fact want you.” Cameron additionally presented Damon 10 p.c of no matter “Avatar” would finally end up making on the field workplace — which might were, in accordance to unofficial calculations, sufficient cash to purchase a small nation (or about $250 million). Damon in the long run declined, bringing up prior commitments to the “Bourne” franchise. “I noticed in having to say no that I used to be more than likely passing at the likelihood to ever paintings with him,” he added. “In order that sucked and that is the reason nonetheless brutal. However my youngsters are all consuming. I am doing good enough.”
True to his phrase, Cameron proceeded to solid an unknown actor as Jake Sully. He ultimately employed Sam Worthington, who had performing enjoy however wasn’t a family name. Worthington recalled the audition procedure took over a 12 months. Reflecting a decade later, he mentioned, “I did not take a look at them as auditions. I regarded on the procedure as, ‘Neatly, if I do not get it, no less than I were given to paintings with Jim Cameron in some recognize.'” Worthington’s display checks have been “very collaborative and in point of fact somewhat painless.”