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American actor Jake Gyllenhaal is known for his versatile performances and commitment to his craft. He has given several memorable performances in Nightcrawler, Prisoners, Brokeback Mountain and many more. But did you know he rejected James Cameron’s Avatar? Scroll down to know more.
As many know, Sam Worthington would end up in the lead role of Jake Sully in the popular Avatar films. The role did wonders for Worthington’s career, with the actor set to reprise the character in the upcoming sequels. Cameron had his sights set on Worthington from the start, but the studio behind the sci-fi movie wanted a bigger star for the main role.
James Cameron did try to cast Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal for his ambitious Avatar film, which was released in 2009. However, neither of the actors was willing to take up the role. Their decisions made the filmmaker to wonder whether the scale of the film that turned them off.
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Talking to LA Times, the filmmaker said, “Honestly, did I go out and try to woo them? No. I had my heart set on Sam. Maybe they sensed my lack of 100% commitment from me. Maybe it was the subject matter. This was a big Star Wars-type movie. They’re both serious actors.”
Cameron mistakenly assumed Damon turned down Avatar because of its subject matter. As many are aware, Damon’s inability to finish the project was caused by schedule issues. At the time, Damon had already committed to The Bourne Ultimatum.
However, Jake Gyllenhaal declined the role because he wasn’t sure he was prepared for a project of the magnitude of Avatar. Speaking to French Magazine Figaro, he said, “When James and I discussed the project, I wasn’t ready. In this business, if you don’t listen to yourself, you’re going to meet serious trouble.”
Gyllenhaal was also up for another project at the time in Prince of Persia. To the Far From Home star, the main character, Dastan, simply appealed to him more.
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