The Philippine Online Chronicles

Sam Worthington is relatively new in Hollywood tinsel town but has already portrayed different a plethora of characters, from a cyborg in Terminator Salvation, to a blue genetically engineered Na'vi-human in Avatar and to a demi-god in Clash of the Titans. With talks of a new futuristic film coming up, no wonder then that Worthington is now one of Hollywood’s leading actors and highest paid stars.

Sam Worthington’s beginnings

He was born on August 2, 1976 in Godalming, Surrey, England, UK, but raised in Rockingham, Perth, Western Australia. He attended John Curtin College of Arts but dropped out of school at the age of seventeen. He accepted construction and odd jobs, one of which was a bricklayer, to earn a living. He later settled in Sydney.

Sam Worthington’s acting career began when he supported his girlfriend in her audition into the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). Ironically, Sam who was nineteen at that time was the one who got accepted into the school while his girlfriend was rejected, which unfortunately led to the ending of their relationship.

Worthington pursued acting and became a full-fledged actor in Australia. He starred in Aussie television shows such as Water Rats and Backburner and Aussie films such as Macbeth, Bootmen, Somersault and Rogue. He won Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in his role in Somersault.

The doors of Hollywood opened for the actor when he took part in the blockbuster, Terminator Salvation.

Terminator Salvation

This futuristic movie is set in post-apocalyptic 2018 and centers on the war between humanity and Skynet. The human resistance led by John Connor (Christian Bale) leads the attack on a Skynet base.

Worthington plays the character of Marcus Wright, an inmate who was put to death by lethal injections. His organs were donated to genetic lab. Dazed and confused, Marcus wakes up 15 years after his execution amidst the conflicting war between humans and machines.

Connor and Marcus both journey into the heart of Skynet’s operations and uncover ‘the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.’

Avatar

Worthington was snowboarding when he found out from his friend that James Cameron wants to meet him. He told his friend, "Let me get down the mountain because I could die." Later when he was on the phone with Cameron, the film director asked him, "How quickly can you get here?" Worthington replied, "Well, first I need to help my mate move a fridge and fix my car because I’m going to give it to another mate." To which Cameron replied, "You’re loyal and you’ve got your priorities right. Get here when you can."

Worthington may not have sounded eager on the phone but Cameron handpicked him for the role of Jake Sully in Avatar. Worthington believed he was awarded the role because he was confident, with nary a trace of the jitters. The handsome actor compared his auditioning to wooing a girl. "It’s like relationships. If you say to a girl: I like you, you’re not going to get her. If you say: I love you, you’re better off than the one who likes her. I go in and I say: I love this script; I really want to work with you. When I audition, I already look at it as if I’ve got the job. I am tearing up the part."

In James Cameron’s 3D epic adventure movie Avatar, Worthington plays James Sully, the Marine veteran who takes the place of his deceased brother in the Avatar program which involves using human controlled Na'vi-human to penetrate the Na'vi race. James Sully later joins the Na'vi race in their quest to protect their home from the invading humans.

Avatar garnered USD1.86 billion in the box office out seating Titanic as the highest grossing movie of all time.

Clash of the Titans

Worthington plays Perseus in the remake of Clash of the Titans. Armed with a sword, the handsome demi-god claims victory over his adversaries. He battles with Medusa, takes on witches, defies hordes of scorpions and fights head on with the Kraken, a horrifying giant creature. His love interest in the movie is Bond Girl Gemma Arterton.

Worthington had the privilege of working with big stars Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes. Neeson and Fiennes played warring gods, Zeus and Hades.

Clash of the Titans earned USD454 million worldwide.

Fields (formerly called The Texas Killing Fields)

Michael Mann, producer of the film said that Worthington, "will play Jake, this tough-minded misanthropic Texan, who with his partner Brian wind up waging something of a war against these unknown assailants, a ferocious battle to save each other and the life of this young street kid."

The movie is based on "real-life series of unsolved murders in a stretch of bayous where as many as 70 bodies have turned up over the past 30 years." It is directed by Ami Canaan Mann.

Quatermain

Another sci-fi genre movie is in the works for this busy Aussie actor. Not only will he be starring in the film, he will also be its producer. It’s a wonder if he has time to sleep at all.

He is arranged to star in DreamWorks’ Quatermain, a sci-fi version of the literary hero of King Solomon’s Mines written by H. Rider Haggard. The movie is set in a time when humans left the Earth. The people witness Quatermain return to Earth from a journey in space, embarking a "King Solomon’s Mines" type of adventure on a "planet wide scale".

Worthington co-produces the movie with Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. The film still has no director and is currently in the development stages.

Interesting trivia

Worthington auditioned for the Bond role in Casino Royale. However, the producers told him that he wasn’t what they were looking for. The role was given to Daniel Craig. Worthington said, "I grew up with James Bond and it’s such an amazing character but I don’t think that will ever happen for me now — no matter how good I look in a white tuxedo!"

Would you believe he wore budget shoes from Payless to the Oscars? Yessiree! The Australian star traded in the expensive designer shoes handed to him by his stylist on the day of the Academy Awards for a $20 pair of shoes. According to Worthington, "I went with what was comfortable and that was the closest store." The same kind of shoes sold like hotcakes after the incidental endorsement.

Girls who go gaga over Sam Worthington might be surprised to know that the good looking actor "prefers guns and swords over kissing scenes."

He is not fond of exercise. The sexy actor said, "I didn’t do anything to buff up – nothing. I’m not one of these yoga-loving, I-only-want-wheatgrass-and-blueberry-muffins kind of guys. And I don’t go the gym; I think it’s pointless. If I’m going to pick up something heavy, I’d rather take it somewhere."

Ladies, take note. He also does not care what a woman wears. For Worthington, a sweet smile is the first thing he notices. “I go for a nice smile when it comes to women because that means she finds me funny, and a smile lightens the air,” Worthington commented in a magazine interview. He added, "A girl can wear the worst clothes, but she’ll still look good if she smiles."