Acclaimed actor Matt Damon recently confessed his biggest acting regret in an interview: passing up a lead part in the 2009 box office smash Avatar. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight with Avatar star Zoe Saldana for a Stella Artois commercial campaign, Damon revealed his remorse at turning down the opportunity to be a part of the record-breaking movie, calling it “the dumbest thing an actor ever did in the history of acting.”
Damon was offered $250 million to portray Jake Sully, but he turned down the job, which went to Sam Worthington instead. Saldana, ever encouraging, convinced Damon that the choice he had made had not hurt his career. Damon joked in response, musing aloud about the film’s potential outcomes had he been involved.
Damon joked that he had never been in a picture that made more than $1 billion, in reference to Saldana’s enormous success in blockbuster films like the Avatar trilogy and the Avengers movies. He acknowledged that he had given up an opportunity to be a part of a major box office triumph, but he complimented Saldana’s skill and the possibilities she had earned.
Avatar director James Cameron said in an earlier interview that he had comforted Matt Damon after the actor’s mishap. He said that Damon, as one of the most famous actors in the world, should forget about the incident. Cameron stated that Damon’s contractual obligation to appear in another Bourne picture precluded him from being cast in Avatar.
Damon has already mentioned his sorrow over the lost chance, which he ranks among his top regrets. He explained that Cameron had approached him about the part, promising a cut of the film’s earnings and telling him that he didn’t require a famous actor for the part. Damon, however, declined, and the rest is, as they say, history.
Damon realized the gravity of what he had missed out on after thinking back on his decision and witnessing Avatar’s massive popularity. However, he has come to accept his professional trajectory, appreciating the remarkable chances he has had and the contribution he has made.