Avatar: The Way of Water has finally arrived – after only 13 years of waiting. For some, it may be crazy to think that it’s been over a decade since the public’s last trip to Pandora. Though there are probably others who felt every bit of that long gestation period. Like the public as a whole, the stars of the franchise themselves had also been looking forward to James Cameron’s science fiction follow-up. However, they’ve all been busy since the first film’s release, as evidenced by their lengthy filmographies. On that note, CinemaBlend put Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver and their co-stars to the test by having them guess how many films they’ve done since 2009.
CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell sat down with the cast during the Way of Water press junket. During the chats, he asked whether the stars knew just how many big-screen productions they’d been a part of since the first movie in James Cameron’s planned saga. When the question was posed to Sigourney Weaver, who plays Kiri, she admitted that she didn’t, before learning that she’d done 24 movies in that time span. She then provided an interesting response:
Wow, and I was trying not to work because I kept thinking, ‘Avatar is gonna start, and I want to be ready. You know, I want to be in good shape and everything. So that’s quite amazing.
Sigourney Weaver clearly knew filming was going to be challenging, and that turned out to be true. Like her co-stars, Weaver had to train for the water-related work that was necessary for production and ultimately pulled it off tremendously. The same is also true for Miles Quaritch actor Stephen Lang, who’s done 38 films since the first installment in the franchise. The veteran actor was asked whether it feels like he’s done that much work since then and dropped an honest answer:
Yeah, I don’t know how it feels. I mean, you know, they’re like footsteps in a block of ice on a hot day. They just kind of disappear entirely to me.
Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington, who portray Neytiri and Jake Sully, have also been busy, with the former tallying 22 and the latter 25. Saldaña quipped that she thought it was only five, while Worthington mused that 21 of his “never came out.” Saldaña has, of course, starred in a number of blockbusters, and two of the movies released in that time – Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame – are among the all-time highest-grossing films alongside Avatar. The actress went on to discuss her good fortune and what it means to be able to grow within the entertainment industry:
There’s a great level of gratitude, and I know I’m speaking for Sam as well in that sense. The Avatar experience has been a gift that keeps on giving. It’s not just the opportunities that it made for us in our careers but also just how we evolved as people. It goes to show how important it is for young people to meet their role models, to work with their idols and to learn from them.
These stars have definitely had professional journeys that few actors get to embark upon, and it’s great to see that they’re fully conscious of that fact. Of course, it’s not over yet, as there are three additional Avatar movies planned, with each in a different stage of production. I’m eager to see how many flicks Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver and their co-stars can get in the can between the releases of those installments.
Avatar: The Way of Water is playing in theaters now, while the first movie can be streamed using a Disney+ subscription. As the year winds down, also be sure that you check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to learn about what’s arriving next year.
