Tag: "James Cameron"

James Cameron originally wrote “Avatar” as a way to challenge the special-effects firm Digital Domain, where he served as chief executive.

“In the same way that I wrote ‘Terminator’ just to get a directing gig, I decided to write a story that was full of creatures and characters that would push the art of CG for that company,” he said. But after artists there said it couldn’t be done, Cameron shelved the idea.

“Avatar” introduces viewers to the planet of Pandora, where the lithe, blue, indigenous Navi people inhabit a lush and wondrous place dense with green forests, fluorescent pink flowers, bizarre hammerhead dinosaurs and flying dragons. Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a soldier on duty there, and Zoe Saldana plays Neytiri, the Navi princess who befriends him.

Saldana learned the fictional Navi language and studied with a dialect coach to perfect a Navi accent on her English.

“I’m from Queens,” the actress said.

Sigourney Weaver, who plays botanist Grace Augustine, studied the fictional flora and fauna of Pandora to prepare for her role.

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