Matt Damon calls turning down a key role in Avatar ‘the dumbest thing an actor ever did in the history of acting’
Matt Damon called passing on a key role in the 2009 blockbuster Avatar “the dumbest thing an actor has ever done in the history of acting.”
The 52-year-old A-lister, talking to Entertainment tonight as he is involved in a new Stella Artois promotional campaign starring Avatar’s Zoe Saldana, he berated his decision to continue participating in the record-breaking film.
The Boston native is said to have pocketed about $250 million to play the role of Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) in the James Cameron movie opposite Saldana’s character Neytiri.
“I don’t think your career has suffered, believe me,” Saldana reassured him.
The star of classics such as Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan and The Departed quipped in response, “Do you know what kind of movie that would have been if I’d been in it?”
The latest: Matt Damon, 52, called passing on a key role in the 2009 blockbuster Avatar “the dumbest thing an actor ever did in the history of acting.” Pictured in Austin in March
Damon then credited Saldana, 44, for her involvement in multiple blockbuster movies that have grossed more than $2 billion, including Avatar and its 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, Avengers: Endgame, and Avengers: Infinity War.
Saldana replied, “I didn’t intend to, believe me – I’ve just always felt blessed to be chosen, to work really hard and audition.” I’m not Matt Damon. I can’t turn down Avatars.”
Damon replied, “I’ve probably done about 50 movies. I’ve never been in a movie that grossed $1 billion.”
Cameron said in an interview late last year that he tried to comfort Damon about the career misstep that would have earned the actor 10 percent of the film’s profits.
“He’s beating himself up because of this,” the filmmaker said BBC radio. “And I really think you know, ‘Matt, you’re kind of one of the biggest movie stars in the world, get over it.'”
He added, “But he had one more Bourne movie to do that was on his catwalk and there was nothing we could do about that.” So unfortunately he had to refuse.’
The Boston native reportedly pocketed about $250 million to play the role of Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) in the James Cameron movie
Damon is involved in a new Stella Artois promotional campaign featuring Avatar’s Zoe Saldana
said Damon British GK in October 2019 that passing on the lucrative role was one of the “bigger regrets” of his career.
“Jim Cameron offered me Avatar,” he said. “And when he offered it to me, he said, ‘Now, listen. I don’t need anybody. I don’t need a name for this, an actor with a name.
“If you don’t take this, I’ll find an unknown actor and give it to him, because the movie doesn’t really need you. But if you take the part, I’ll give you 10 percent.”