Los Angeles [US], December 18 : Filmmaker James Cameron has addressed actor Matt Damon's long-circulating claim that he turned down the lead role in Avatar along with a lucrative share of the film's profits, saying the version widely believed online is "not exactly true."
For years, Damon has spoken publicly about being offered the role of Jake Sully in the 2009 blockbuster in exchange for 10 per cent of the film's gross, a deal that would have translated into hundreds of millions of dollars given Avatar's global earnings of USD 2.9 billion. The role eventually went to Australian actor Sam Worthington, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Jim Cameron called me he offered me 10 per cent of Avatar," Damon says in the clips. "You will never meet an actor who turned down more money than me ... I was in the middle of shooting the Bourne movie and I would have to leave the movie kind of early and leave them in the lurch a little bit and I didn't want to do that ... [Cameron] was really lovely, he said: 'If you don't do this, this movie doesn't really need you. It doesn't need a movie star at all. The movie is the star, the idea is the star, and it's going to work. But if you do it, I'll give you 10 percent of the movie.'"
However, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron said Damon was never formally offered the part. "He James Cameron clarifies Matt Damon's viral 'Avatar' claim, says role was never offered," Cameron tells The Hollywood Reporter. "I can't remember if I sent him the script or not. I don't think I did? Then we wound up on a call and he said, 'I love to explore doing a movie with you. I have a lot of respect for you as a filmmaker. [Avatar] sounds intriguing. But I really have to do this Jason Bourne movie. I've agreed to it, it's a direct conflict, and so, regretfully, I have to turn it down.' But he was never offered. There was never a deal," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The director added that discussions never progressed to character details or negotiations. "We never talked about the character. We never got to that level. It was simply an availability issue," he said.
Addressing the widely shared belief that Damon turned down a massive payday, Cameron said the actor may have unintentionally merged separate ideas over time. "What he's done is extrapolate 'I get 10 percent of the gross on all my films,'" Cameron said, adding that such a deal would not have happened in this case. "So he's off the hook and doesn't have to beat himself up anymore."
Cameron also praised Damon for handling the situation professionally. "He felt compelled to call me personally and tell me. He didn't want it to come from the agent that's an honourable guy," the filmmaker said, describing Damon's decision to honour a prior commitment as "ethical."
Despite the confusion, Cameron said he holds Damon in high regard and would still like to collaborate with him in the future. "All respect to Matt. I'd love to work with him someday," he added.
Following Damon's decision, Cameron went on to cast Sam Worthington, who was relatively unknown at the time. The director has previously said he had to push hard for Worthington's casting, despite other established actors being considered. Worthington's screen test with Zoe Saldana ultimately convinced Cameron, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Cameron also noted that Worthington's performance has continued to evolve, particularly in the upcoming Avatar installment Fire and Ash. "Sam's character is challenged in ways he hasn't been before," Cameron said, adding that the actor has grown in confidence and depth over the course of the franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Cameron is currently promoting the future of the Avatar series and discussing broader topics, including artificial intelligence and upcoming projects.
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