Josh Gad, known for his role in Frozen, recently shared that he was once considered for a role in James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi blockbuster Avatar. However, he ultimately missed out on the part due to his physical appearance not matching the vision Cameron had for the film.
In his memoir In Gad We Trust, Gad recounts his desperation to escape his Broadway role in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He auditioned for various film and television roles, including a part in Avatar.
“I put myself on tape and shortly thereafter got a call that Cameron wanted to fly me to Los Angeles for a final callback at his Lightstorm production offices,” Gad recalled. He was initially auditioning for the role of Jake Sully’s (played by Sam Worthington) best friend and translator for the Na’vi.
While Gad’s audition impressed Cameron, the actor was told that when digitally transformed into an Avatar, he “looked like a tall, overweight Smurf.” Despite Cameron’s enthusiasm for Gad’s performance, the role ultimately went to Joel David Moore, who portrayed Norm Spellman, a close ally to Jake Sully and a Na’vi language expert in the film.
Released in 2009, Avatar went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time, earning $2.9 billion globally. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, currently ranks third with $2.3 billion in lifetime earnings.
At the 2024 D23 Expo, James Cameron revealed the title of the upcoming third film in the Avatar series: Avatar: Fire and Ash. The movie is scheduled for release on December 19, 2025.
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