Spitting gum at the camera would get most actors sent home from an audition, but for “Avatar” star Sam Worthington, it landed him a leading role in the highest-grossing film of all time.
Worthington, 46, recalled the moment he spat his gum in frustration during his audition for the first “Avatar” movie, which came out in 2009.
“I was just angry,” he said in a recent Variety interview, explaining that he was upset about being given limited information about his character and the project.
“It was like, ‘You’re not telling me anything. This is a waste of time,’" he said. “Later, when they were like, ‘Jim Cameron wants to meet you, and this was for his movie,’ I was just like, ‘Oh s---, I’m going to get in trouble.’”
However, director James Cameron was seemingly drawn to Worthington’s rebellious attitude — and the rest, as they say, was history.
Before auditioning for the megahit, the British-Australian actor had sold all his belongings and lived on the road for a while, sleeping on a mattress in his hatchback, according to Variety.
“I sold everything I owned to my mates because I didn’t like who I was,” he said.
Worthington was already known in Australia for his roles in the 2004 film “Somersault” and the Australian TV series, “Love My Way," but playing Jake Sully in “Avatar” propelled him to international fame.
The actor struggled with the pressures of his new public life, telling Variety that he would “go haywire” if someone asked him for a photograph.
“If someone approached me, my anxiety would go through the roof.”
He said he began drinking more heavily to cope.
“Nine out of 10 people couldn’t tell,” Worthington said. “They could probably smell it on me, but when they looked at me, they couldn’t tell. I was still doing my job — I just don’t think I was doing it very well.”
He also said that the more he drank, the “more emotional and erratic” he became.
Eventually, with support from his wife, Lara, Worthington faced his addiction and told Variety he is now eight years sober.
After he stopped drinking, he learned to be selective about the kinds of projects he worked on, saying he wanted to avoid playing stereotypical action heroes.
“If I can’t bring anything to it, I’m not going to go and be involved in it,” he said. “I don’t want to do that again. I don’t want to just be the action figure standing in the front. And that’s OK. It takes a lot to understand what you do want from this industry.”
Thirteen years after getting his major break in “Avatar,” Worthington is starring in the sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
This time around, he hopes to serve as a mentor figure to younger cast members as they promote the film.
“I feel protective,” he said. “I want these kids to know that if there’s any issues or questions, they shouldn’t be scared to reach out. I’m not going to offer advice if they don’t want it, but I can help them navigate what happens when stardom hits them.”