Sam Worthington is a talented and successful Australian actor. He gained prominence as the brave Jake Sully in James Cameron‘s Avatar franchise. Avatar has become one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time, grossing over $5 billion worldwide. The sci-fi movies have skyrocketed Worthington to fame, also making him one of the highest paid actors in the business.
Worthington has a lot of things going on. Other than Avatar, the actor has appeared in many other notable movies and TV shows, such as Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans, and Wrath of the Titans. There’s so much more to him than his legendary role in Avatar. So here are nine facts you probably didn’t know about Sam Worthington.
1. His Breakout Role in Avatar Almost Went to Another Actor
It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the strong-willed but good-natured Jake Sully in Avatar. But interestingly enough, this iconic role almost went to another Hollywood actor, none other than Matt Damon. James Cameron first had his eyes on the Bourne Ultimatum star, but Damon had to pass on the offer due to his other commitments. As a result, Damon missed out on a $250 million payday in the process that ultimately went to the newcomer Sam Worthington. Damon recently joked about this and said, “It’s the dumbest thing an actor ever did in the history of acting.”
2. Sam Worthington Auditioned for the Role of James Bond in Casino Royale
Worthington almost played another legendary role before landing the groundbreaking Avatar gig. The actor once auditioned for the role of James Bond in Casino Royale and even got to the final stages. But the role eventually went to Daniel Craig, who became the longest-standing Bond in history.
3. Sam Worthington Was Broke When He Got Cast in Avatar
The role of Jake Sully truly changed Worthington’s life around. Not many people know that the actor was broke when he auditioned for Avatar. Not only did he have financial issues, but he was also living in his car at the time of the auditions. Around the age of 30, he sold most of his stuff and ended up with $2,000, which he used to buy the car he later lived in. Luckily for Worthington, the auditions turned out to be a success, and he went on to become one of the most successful actors in Hollywood.
4. He Has an Impressive Portfolio of Movies
Avatar is not the only impressive project in Sam Worthington’s acting portfolio. His other notable projects are Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans, its sequel Wrath of the Titans, The Debt, Everest, Hacksaw Ridge, The Shack, Manhunt: Unabomber, and Fractured. It looks like he’s not going anywhere anytime soon because Avatar 3, 4, and 5 are in the works, so audiences are yet to enjoy Worthington’s immense talent on the big screen.
5. He is Married With Three Children
Worthington is married to his longtime girlfriend and model Lara (Bingle) Worthington. They have been happily married since 2014. The couple has three sons together, named Rocket Zot, Racer, and River.
6. He Was Born in England But Was Raised in Australia
One of the lesser-known facts about Sam Worthington is that he was not actually born in Australia. The actor was born in England, but he and his family moved to Australia when he was only six months old. He grew up in the land down under and started building his career there before arriving in the United States and conquering Hollywood.
7. Sam Worthington Was Frustrated While Auditioning for Avatar
The audition for the life-changing role in Avatar wasn’t smooth sailing for Worthington. According to the actor, he was actually very frustrated during the whole process because no one had told him what he was auditioning for. Because of his frustration, Worthington didn’t read the lines as he was supposed to. Instead, he showed anger and even spit his gum at the camera in a show of defiance. As it turns out, casting directors liked his anger-fueled performance as it resonated with them and was exactly what they were looking for. And the rest was history from there!
8. Sam Worthington Lent His Voice to Call of Duty
Another interesting fact about Sam Worthington is that he also dived into the world of video games. He voiced the protagonist in one of the most successful video games in the world, Call of Duty. He lent his voice to a popular in-game CoD character, Captain Alex Mason.
9. He Was Once Arrested For Assaulting a Paparazzo
Worthington was once arrested after assaulting a paparazzo. It happened in New York when the paparazzo tried to take a photo of Worthington’s then-girlfriend, now wife Lara. The actor was later charged with assault in the third degree, attempted assault, and harassment. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court.
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