Interview - Sam Worthington

Man on a Ledge is in cinemas today (read our review) so we thought we’d bring you a little Q&A goodness with leading man Sam Worthington. No so very long ago, 2007 to be exact, Worthington was making a tiny creature feature in Australia called Rogue (its decent, check it out) and now he’s one of the biggest stars on the planets, with roles in Avatar, Terminator: Salvation and Clash of the Titans under his belt. He’s got plenty more on the way in the form of Wrath of the Titans and Avatar 2 but right now, we’re talking Man on a Ledge.



Q: I believe you are scared of heights?
A: I had a fear of falling and hitting the ground. I think anyone with half a mind would be scared at whatever - if you are up 200 feet. I read the story, it’s a really good title then I forgot I had to do it. (laughs) It’s called MAN ON A LEDGE … You have to get out there on the ledge. It’s worse for the camera guys though. The camera is really swinging on the ropes next to you. Those guys are hanging off, they are flying. They’re all harnessed up but they’re flying next to you.

Q: Were there any really nail biting moments?
A: I slipped a couple of times and you just hang like a marionette .. or it jolts you back – it just reminds you to be a bit more cautious. Every now and then when I did slip or fall over, it always did click into place, but for that brief second, your life flashes before your eyes.

Q: Did any films inspire you?
A: I looked at THE NEGOTIATOR (1998) with Samuel L. Jackson and PHONE BOOTH with Colin Farrell, I liked those movies.

Q: Were you happy about working with a first time director? Asger Leth was a documentary filmmaker prior to this film.
A: Yes it was great. Lorenzo talked to Asger to find out what type of guy he was and we found out that he likes to let the camera run, because he’s used to waiting for those moments in documentaries, that’s his experience, so he just let the camera roll and for an actor that’s liberating sometimes.

Q: What was it like having chaos in the street below and crowds of people down there cheering for you to jump, it looks like there were real New Yorkers as well as all the extras on the set?
A: I’m sure some of them were real. Asger (director) did documentaries before this. He likes to let the cameras run. He would take the camera down there on the street himself and just roll on people. They were pushing him out of the way and yelling, a lot of them weren’t just extras, that’s for sure. I think a lot of those guys who were shouting ‘jump’ might have been just disgruntled fans from my last movie (laughs)! New Yorkers don’t care if there is a camera crew blocking their way, they just want to get to work. So a lot of them are just going: ‘fuck this, just jump. You’re blocking my path.’ That’s typical New York and I love it.

Q: You look very different in the film, with longish curly hair, why did you choose that look?
A: The guy’s been in prison, he hasn’t got time to go to a barber so I said to Lorenzo ‘he’s not going to go to ‘Supercuts’ and get a short back and sides when he’s wanted by the police is he?’ So I grew the hair out and it’s a fucking ridiculous mullet - that’s why I don’t grow it out. I look like Jean Claude Van Damme. (laughs) But actually I did the mullet on purpose, I thought this was like an 80s movie so I thought I’d have an 80s look, that’s what I was aiming for.

Q: Can you explain how AVATAR changed your life?
A: It’s like you’ve been hit by a grenade. It explodes. It has changed 100 percent. Your anonymity goes away, certain things that you took for granted go away but you try to handle it with sensitivity. You can’t shy away from it or hate the attention from people in the street, because you make movies for them. I’m 35 now I’m not 17 so I feel different just because I’m older. I’m thankful for the position I’m in obviously. Don’t get me wrong I think I’m extremely lucky and I am humbled by it but I don’t think I’m a big star, it doesn’t compute.

Q: What can you say about your upcoming surfing film DRIFT which you made in Australia?
A: It’s set in the 1970s and it’s about the formation of the cottage surfing industry when Rip Curl and Quicksilver got made in the backyard of people’s houses. It’s about the beginning of the surf brands. It’s my mate’s idea (Myles Pollard), he’s the lead in it and my other mate got to direct it. I said I’ll help you out, I’ll play a small part in it, that got them the money so they could make it, I liked it because it was a nice little family movie.

Q: What’s it like having that clout or power to help your friends?
A: For something like this it was great because It helped my mate get his movie done. And to go back home was great – we shot it in Perth, the state where we all grew up. I got my own plane ticket, drove my own way down there, then rocked up for the first day of filming. I play a surf photographer.

Q: Are you a good surfer?
A: I know what to do, I’ve surfed all my life. There’s a surfer called Tommy Carroll, I’m nothing like him obviously, he’s the top surfer. I’m no way near those guys who are professionals.

Q: Do you still immerse yourself in your roles with the same intensity as you did earlier in your career?
A: You immerse yourself in the world of the movie and the challenges of the character. You lose bits of yourself because the character is coming out and you are putting bits of yourself into the character. Things that the character goes through rub off into the fabric of your being whether you know it or not.”

Q: What have you discovered about yourself over the years?
A: I’m learning all the time. In my profession you have to be learning because the audience demands that you keep improving. Don’t let any of your insecurities in this industry block you. You’ve always got to keep pushing yourself, otherwise you let your audience down.

Man on a Ledge is in cinemas now.