Though the two turned down the offer to play Jake Sully, James Cameron did not regret it because he always had his heart set on Sam Worthington.
- Feb 24, 2010
AceShowbiz - It is no doubt that Sam Worthington has successfully portrayed Jake Sully in "Avatar", but the character could have ended up being played by a more notable actor. James Cameron has just revealed that Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal were once offered the said role, but they turned it down.
To Los Angeles Times, the helmer explained that the "Bourne" actor and the "The Day After Tomorrow" hunk were not his first option since he always placed Worthington on the top of his list. However, the studio chiefs wanted the big star because they can make more money to cover some of the risks of the big-budget project.
It was not clear why Damon and Gyllenhaal declined such opportunity but Cameron thought the two might feel that he did not seriously want either one of them. "I had my heart set on Sam. Maybe they sensed my lack of 100|percent| commitment from me," he admitted. He further speculated, saying "Maybe it was the subject matter. This was a big 'Star Wars'-type movie. They're both serious actors."
Though Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal never signed a deal to star in "Avatar", they can be seen in upcoming films soon. Damon's movie "Green Zone" will be debuted in U.S. cinemas on March 12, while Gyllenhaal has wrapped production for "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time" which will be outed in U.S. theaters on May 28.
