He battled greedy environmental enemies in “Avatar,” Nazi war criminals in “The Debt” and a gargantuan Kraken in “The Clash of the Titans,” but leading man Sam Worthington has a weakness – a crippling fear of heights.
For his latest movie, crime thriller “Man on a Ledge,” the sexy star, 35, was forced to spend hours standing on a 14-inch deep ledge, 200-feet above the New York City street below – a feat he wasn’t initially sure he’d be able accomplish.
“I’m not a fan of [heights] — especially not a fan of being on a 200-foot ledge on a building,” Sam told Access Hollywood at the “Man on a Ledge” junket in Los Angeles on Friday. “I get nervous even talking about it!”
On the first day of filming, Sam felt his tough exterior crumble as he stepped onto the precarious ledge, with the bustling city street below.
“I stepped out on the ledge and I was worried I was gonna burst into tears and just curl up in a ball,” he said with a laugh. “I thought, ‘That’s not a very good start for an action movie!’ But, we got a good start and just went from there.”
Sam said being surrounded by a stellar cast – especially upcoming “The Hunger Games” star Elizabeth Banks – made conquering his fear a bit easier.
“Elizabeth is great,” he told Access of his stunning “Man on a Ledge” co-star. “I’ve seen her in her comedies, ‘30 Rock,’ et cetera. I saw her in a movie — ‘The Next Three Days’ with Russell Crowe and I thought she was sensational.
“She reminds me of Zoe Saldana, Jessica Chastain and other actresses I’ve worked with who turn up, they’re consummate [and] they just knock it out of the park.”
Speaking of Zoe Saldana, Sam will soon return to the big screen alongside the 33–year-old beauty for the highly anticipated “Avatar” sequel, and while details are under lock and key, the project is getting underway.
“I see Jim next week,” Sam told Access of “Avatar” mastermind James Cameron. “I know that’s he’s been putting them together and starting writing, so maybe he’s ready to go.
“He’s told me the story — I know where the story is going and where it all sits and it’s monumental,” he added.
Catch Sam, along with Elizabeth Banks, Ed Burns and Jamie Bell, when “Man on a Ledge” hits theaters on January 27.
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