James Cameron disputes Matt Damon’s claim of turning down lead role in Avatar

James Cameron says Matt Damon was never officially offered the lead in 'Avatar', despite viral claims of huge payday

James Cameron has pushed back on Matt Damon’s long-circulating claim that he turned down the lead role in Avatar in exchange for a share of the film’s profits, saying the story has been widely misunderstood.

In a recent interview, the director clarified that Damon was never formally offered the role of Jake Sully in the 2009 blockbuster.

For years, Damon has recounted an anecdote in which he said Cameron offered him 10 percent of Avatar’s gross to star in the film, a decision that would have been worth hundreds of millions of dollars given the movie’s $2.9 billion global box office haul. The role ultimately went to Sam Worthington, then a relatively unknown actor.

According to Cameron, the discussions with Damon never advanced to the point of a formal offer or deal. He explained that the two spoke briefly, during which Damon expressed interest in collaborating but said he was unavailable due to a prior commitment to the Bourne franchise. Cameron said the conversation ended there and did not involve negotiations, character discussions, or financial terms.

Cameron added that Damon appears to have conflated his standard compensation on other films with what would have been required for Avatar. The director stated that such a deal would not have been possible and emphasized that Damon should not feel regret over the situation.

Despite the clarification, Cameron spoke positively about Damon, calling him honorable for personally explaining his scheduling conflict. He also expressed interest in working with the actor in the future.

Cameron reiterated that casting Sam Worthington was a deliberate creative choice, noting that the actor’s performance has evolved across the franchise. Worthington’s portrayal of Jake Sully continues in the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash, which Cameron says features the actor’s strongest performance in the series to date.