From homeless people to Hollywood stars, the extraordinary destiny of the heroes of Avatar 2

news culture From homeless people to Hollywood stars, the extraordinary destiny of the heroes of Avatar 2

Once upon a time in … Australia

The story of Sam Worthington begins far from the wilderness of Australia, on the other side of the world in the city of Surrey which is located in Great Britain. Born August 2, 1975, who would become Jake Sully on the big screen 34 years later moved to Perth at the age of six months (state capital of Western Australia). Next, he joined John Curtin College of the Arts, a school specializing in teaching dramatic arts where he appeared without a diploma.

He left the family home on his father’s orders with the Aussie 400 in his pocket, then took up a series of food jobs, mainly in the construction industry. At the age of 19, he applied to the National Institute of Dramatic Art located in Sydney where he was accepted and even won a scholarship. Her acting career really started in 2000 in Bootmen with Adam Garcia. After chaining secondary, even tertiary roles in several television series (JAG, Brigade of the seas, Blue Heelers), it exploded on screens in 2004 in Somersault. His performance was honored with the Best Leading Actor award by the American Film Institute (or AFI).

On the path to success, he became known in his adopted country through his role in the series Love My Way which was broadcast between 2004 and 2007. Meanwhile, he played Lord Macbeth in the Australian “remake” directed by Geoffrey Wright of the famous tragedy born from the pen William Shakespeare. It is common knowledge that Sam Worthington is trying to get the role of James Bond in Casino Royale directed by Martin Campbell. However, the new adventures of the famous British secret agent 007 have finally fallen into the hands of Daniel Craig.

Nomadic life

Now in his thirties, the Australian actor, beset by an existential crisis, made the decision to drop everything, sell his property and studio, and leave Sydney in a car equipped with a mattress as his only foothold. This extraordinary situation led him to become “Sans Domicile Fixe” (or SDF). His daily life was then reduced to the streets during this period which preceded his audition for the role that would make him an international star. Sam Worthington expressed himself in the following terms during an interview with our colleagues from Variety.

I have sold everything I own to my friends because I don’t like myself. (…) I have to get out soon. I live in Sydney, and every time I go to a bar, I get recognized. I rebel against it. -Sam Worthington

rebellious spirit

Traveling the Australian bush roads and living in his car like Mad Max, Sam Worthington receives a call that will change his life forever. in 2006, she went on to audition for a “secret” film which, in her words, turned the balance of power. Frustrated with the conditions of the auditions, he defied the production in his own way, refusing to read his lines and content to chew gum on camera in front of the confused “judges”.

They didn’t tell me anything, I felt it was a waste of time. Later, when they told me James Cameron wanted to meet me and it was all for the movie, I thought I was going to be in trouble. -Sam Worthington

His provocation caught the attention of James Cameron who saw in him and his rebellious side a highly sought after hero for his revolutionary sci-fi project, though a famous actor was still a work in progress. After several additional auditions held in Los Angeles, California, Sam Worthington was officially cast to play Jake Sully in what would become the 7th Art’s biggest success of all time with no less than 2.9 billion dollars in worldwide box office receipts. James Cameron himself, the director of Avatar, is full of praise when it comes to Sam Worthington.

I saw a lot of actors, the names of which will impress you. But Sam was the one who made me want to follow him into battle. The one who made me want to accompany him to hell, which nothing else has ever worked out for – James Cameron (Avatar – Director)

True to form, the Australian actor is on the road again, heading inland, and to the top of the mountains with no way of contact. He eventually learns the good news, and accepts the role. The legend of Jake Sully is ongoing. Released on December 16, 2009, Avatar took everything in its path and became a real social phenomenon. History will also remember that an Australian actor and his sharp accent defied Hollywood and won.

It took us a few days to reach him as he was somewhere up in the mountains without a phone. That’s the kind of person Sam is – Jon Landau (Avatar – Producer)

Secret “after”

2009 was a very important year for Sam Worthington. Within twelve months, he played back-to-back Marcus Wright then Jake Sully in Terminator Renaissance (June) and Avatar (December). However, the Australian actor struggled to capitalize on his newly acquired fame, until it finally disappears slowly but surely from the cinematographic landscape. Of course, he was a major performer in the fantastical peplums The Clash of the Titans (2010) and The Wrath of the Titans (2012), but his reception, both critical and public, had the effect of a cold shower.

Parallel to cinema, he is interested in video games, and voiced the character Captain Alex Mason in Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II. Finally, his last significant role came in 2016. Sam Worthington took up arms alongside Andrew Garfield in the war film You Shall Not Kill (Hacksaw Ridge from the original title) directed by Mel Gibson (Braveheart, Apocalypto, The Passion of the Christ). Rich but ultimately unforgettable, the career of the most Australian representative of the Na’vi people resumes in December 2022 in Avatar: Waterway. With the third episode already filmed and the box office receipts of over 1.7 billion dollars for the second, James Cameron’s envisioned saga still has a bright future ahead of him. Sam Worthington wasn’t ready to leave Pandora and never mind his avatar body!