KZ: Hi Jack! What was the audition process for Avatar: The Way of Water?

J: The first couple of times that I auditioned, I didn’t know what it was for. When I first met the casting director Margery [Simkin], I found out that it was for the Avatar sequels and for the next month, I watched the first Avatar movie every day obsessively, to the point where, when I was doing the screen test, Jim [James Cameron] was like ‘We’re going to do something about a banshee’, and I was like, ‘Actually, it’s called an Ikran’, so I got to the point where I could correct him! The whole process was pretty long. I would say about four months.

KZ: Can you remember your first day on set?

J: Oh yeah! I mean, working with Sam [Worthington], Zoe [Saldana], and Sig [Sigourney Weaver]; everyone is great at making you feel comfortable. You just act off them, because they’re really good at playing their characters, so after a while you’re like ‘I’m not acting with Sam Worthington, I’m acting with Jake.’ It becomes really easy to just bounce off him and do the scene.

KZ: Did they give you any advice?

J: Sam gave me really good advice about forgetting about the cameras and all the different angles and just stay true to your character and stay in the scene. Forget about trying to get your good side and just be the character, follow your instinct.

KZ: What advice would you give for K-Zoners who are interested in acting?

J: I would say take acting classes, be in school plays. Do everything you can locally, because that’s how I started out, and just bloom where you’re planted.

KZ: What is your favourite location on Pandora?

J: I think just the bioluminescent jungle of Pandora. Nothing beats that. A nice bioluminescent jungle with a little glowing stream. It’s just the best, I wish I could camp there.

KZ: Other than Spider, which character would you like to meet the most?

J: I think I’d like to meet with Jake honestly, because he has that soldier mentality where he knows how to use weapons, guns, tomahawks. He’s so cool, and also still connected to the Na’vi people and very spiritual and the light of Eywa. He’s your go-to guy to talk to about everything.

KZ: Can you give us five words to tease Avatar: The Way of Water?

J: Visually stunning, action-packed, and family.

Avatar: The Way of Water hits cinemas December 15! This movie is for older K-Zoners!

Want to read more of our interview with Jack? Grab the January 2023 'Prime Time' issue, on sale now!