How did Sam Worthington get his role in Avatar?

Sam Worthington secured his role in Avatar by auditioning with a casual 'Uh-huh' response, which surprisingly impressed director James Cameron.

Did Sam Worthington know he was auditioning for James Cameron?

No, Worthington did not know he was auditioning for James Cameron or any details about the Avatar film initially.

What impressed James Cameron about Sam Worthington's audition?

James Cameron was impressed by Sam Worthington's flippant and annoyed delivery of a line during his audition for Avatar.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Sam Worthington's 'Uh-huh' landed him Avatar role

Sam Worthington's 'Uh-huh' landed him Avatar role

10 Jan

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Summary

Worthington auditioned without knowing film details, causing annoyance.
His reluctant 'Uh-huh' response surprisingly won James Cameron over.
Cameron revealed the flippant audition delivery secured the role.

Australian actor Sam Worthington recently shared the surprising circumstances surrounding his casting in James Cameron's Avatar film series. Worthington revealed he auditioned for the role of Jake Sully without any information about the project, including the director or the movie's plot. This lack of transparency led him to approach the audition with a negative attitude.

His reluctance and annoyance manifested in his audition response. Instead of the expected "Yes, ma'am," Worthington delivered a casual "Uh-huh." Unexpectedly, this flippant delivery caught director James Cameron's attention, with Cameron later stating that the actor had him "at uh-huh." Worthington expressed that knowing it was for a James Cameron film beforehand might have led him to perform differently.

The casting proved to be a monumental career moment for Worthington, who has since starred in multiple installments of the billion-dollar franchise. The latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, was released in Australian cinemas just before Christmas. Worthington reportedly earned upwards of $12 million for his role in the most recent film.