Cameron Talks Worthington & "Avatar" at Australians in Film Awards

Michael here.  The LA Times blog caught up with James Cameron Friday night on the red carpet of the Australians in Film awards, where Cameron presented Sam Worthington with the AIF Breakthrough award.

Cameron talks about Avatar, Worthington, and Terminator: Salvation below:

Cameron also spoke after presenting the award - a yellow boomerang - to Worthington.  From the LA Times blog:

Later, he told the audience about the moment he decided to cast Sam.

"We were making a $200 million-plus movie and it's all about the journey of one guy, Jake, and he’s in every scene in the film, from beginning to end. It all hangs on that one piece of casting."

Cameron saw hundreds of actors, established and unknowns, but he needed someone who fit the role.

Then he saw Sam's audition tape with a scene in which he has one line, "Uh huh."

"Sam had me at 'Uh huh,' " Cameron told the laughing audience.

"He's an old-school tough guy, and that's what I needed for this film," Cameron said, adding that while he has seen only the trailer of "Terminator Salvation," he's sure that Sam is gonna "blow Christian Bale off the screen."