James Cameron’s movies have been lauded in great part due to the technical prowess of him and his collaborators. That was certainly true of the well received Avatar: The Way of Water, as the film includes a lot of action that takes place in and around the seas of the fictional planet of Pandora. With that, the crew and the cast had to be prepared for production accordingly. I need to talk about how part of the actors’ prep involved them diving in a real ocean.
The Avatar: The Way Of Water Stars’ Training Involved A Major Ocean Experience
Figuratively speaking, Cameron threw his actors into the deep end of the pool. However, he also ensured that they were safe while preparing for The Way of Water. The two-part documentary Fire and Water: The Making of the Avatar Films (available with a Disney+ subscription) details how stars like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña and Sigourney Weaver were taught to dive and hold their breath underwater in tanks. Eventually, the cast got the hang of it, and Cameron subsequently decided to kick things up a notch for them.
Cameron and co. took everyone to Hawaii, where the cast would get more free-diving experience by traversing a real reef. As the Oscar-winning director explained, the purpose of the exercise was ultimately to enhance the actor’s relationship with the water and allow them to “feel at one with nature.” Late producer Jon Landau, in a posthumously released interview, added that Cameron and the team wanted to give the actors “an experience that would be as close to Pandoran as possible.”
What I appreciate about the Terminator filmmaker – who also got in the water in Hawaii – is his commitment to his craft and to making sure his actors are well prepared (and safe). Because of this trip, the stars had an unforgettable-looking experience, and it seems that was especially the case when it came to one particular aspect of the trip.
The Cast And Crew Of The Way Of Water Also Took Part In A Night Dive
As part of the excursion, the Avatar team also decided to explore the deep at night, which honestly sounds both cool and terrifying. However, based on the footage that’s been released, it seemed to be quite enjoyable. The shots of various kinds of fish swimming in the vicinity of the team are just downright breathtaking. It was also surreal for cast member Cliff Curtis, whose spirit animal is a manta ray, and the mantas were apparently swimming just “inches” away from his face.
Some of the moments captured during the night dive also served as inspiration for the film. For example, during the swim, Sigourney Weaver reached out to touch a ray, and that served as the basis for a scene in The Way of Water in which her character, Kiri, did the same.
It’s a behind-the-scenes story like this that really makes me appreciate not only the underwater technology used for the film, but also the efforts of the cast and crew. Cameron and his team’s efforts were not in vain, given the film’s box office success and positive reviews, and I’d like to think fans will talk about their experiences seeing the movie for years to come.
Stream the first two Avatar films on Disney+, and look out for Avatar: Fire and Ash, which opens in theaters amid the 2025 movie schedule on December 19.
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