The Way Of Water's Cliff Curtis Says The Fun On-Set Atmosphere Meant He 'Never Worked A Day'
By Ava Barnes
Cliff Curtis came to "Avatar: The Way of Water" after decades in the film industry. His stellar filmography covers everything from "Deep Rising" and "Bringing Out The Dead" to "Fear the Walking Dead" and "Meg." Joining James Cameron's epic was an experience worth taking on — even in the toughest of conditions. Geek Culture spoke to the actor and his co-star Sam Worthington about the film; one of their questions focused on the best and worst things about filming in and around water.
For Curtis, the experience was akin to time spent at a fun park, except he was getting paid for the adventure. "We get to do that when we go to work, it means that for me I never worked a day on this movie," the actor said. According to Curtis, this was also a chance to play in a world full of incredible technology.
New technological elements were at the forefront of filming, offering new and exciting techniques. Cameron and a team of experts in the field utilized a camera system they built — taking advantage of a stereoscopic 3D system. He also relied on it as he worked out motion capture for both land and water effects; production included a 900,000-gallon tank that was created especially for the project (via The Verge).
While other actors might have bristled at the time spent in the water, Curtis was eager to take on the challenges of this massive task. "I love working in the water, whether it's on top of the water, underneath the water, anything to do with the water was just a gift for me and I just enjoyed every minute," he added.
