INTERVIEW: Sam Worthington Gave Us Insight on Where Jake Is in ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’
Jake Sully is, admittedly, the character from Avatar that I love the most. The movie came at a time in our history when Sam Worthington was on the rise, so I instantly took to the character when I first saw the James Cameron epic, and so when given the chance to ask about Jake, I jumped at it.
During the press conference for Avatar: The Way of Water, I asked via submitted question: “Jake was our guide into this world until he finds his own home and love. What can fans expect from Jake in the sequel? Has he found his own new journey in love and fatherhood?’”
Worthington easily jumped into an answer, talking about where we first saw Jake and where he is now. “Well I think in the first one, he says it in the voice over, ‘open your eyes.’ I think he’s opened his eyes to love, and the love of culture, the love of the planet and the love of Neytiri. I think in this one it is, as I said, it’s the natural extension of that, they have a family, and it’s … to be honest it’s about the protection of that love and that world and that culture. I always saw it as the simplest form and his partner in crime is a very fiery person. He just tries to be the earth, and we just happen to have a lot of water. It’s very elemental. It’s very base.”
James Cameron responded by saying, “Literally bring fire into the mix, then the next film …” before Worthington continued: “But I think Jake’s journey has always been taking these parallels of where does he fit into this world, and finding something worth fighting for? And in one his teenage boys are going through that as well, you know? Teenage boys are displaced, and like most teenagers they’re trying to figure out where they’re in the world, and unfortunately Jake is the perfect person to help them, but maybe as a, sometimes as a dad you can’t find that empathy, or you’re learning to find that empathy, to actually help Lo’ak played by Britain Dalton, and Jamie Flatters who plays Neteyam, and he’s trying to help these boys. And also Kiri, you know?”
And Cameron agreed, saying “Your two characters have a great relationship,” referring to the relationship between Worthington’s Jake and Sigourney Weaver’s Kiri.
Worthington continued to talk about Kiri and Jake’s relationship: “I think he relates more with Kiri, and can yield more and Jake’s a warrior, but I think there was, sometimes you have to become a bit of a pacifist and calm down, in order to listen to your kids. I think I’ve learnt that. But I think that’s how he can connect with someone like Kiri.”
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Avatar: The Way of Water hits theaters on December 16th, 2022 and is going to be the talk of the town, and honestly? I’m excited to be back with Jake Sully.
(featured image: 20th Century Fox)
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