Sam Worthington

Active - 1981 - Present  |   Born - Aug 2, 1976 in Godalming, Surrey, England  |   Genres - Action, Adventure, Drama

Share on

Biography by AllMovie

Australian-born actor Sam Worthington got his first break in the Belvoir Street Theatre production Judas Kiss, shortly after graduating from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art. He eventually made the transition to the screen, appearing in the Australian movie Bootmen. Worthington earned small roles in other films such as Hart's War, and eventually won the lead in the drama Dirty Deeds opposite Toni Collette. He later earned a prominent role in the critically acclaimed Somersault, which won a slew of awards, including an AFI for Worthington in the category of Best Actor. In 2006, he joined many young men of the acting community in going up for the role of James Bond, and while the legendary part went to Daniel Craig, Worthington took the title role in a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth, garnering the 30-year-old actor a lot of attention. He caught the eye of director James Cameron, who cast Worthington as the lead in his sci-fi thriller Avatar. That film would become one of the biggest box-office successes in movie history and he would follow up that newfound celebrity with turns in another effects-laden extravaganza Clash of the Titans, as well as the indie drama Last Night. In 2012 he returned to the role of Perseus for Wrath of the Titans, and starred in the thriller Man on a Ledge. In 2013, he appeared in the Australian film Drift, followed by another Australian film, Paper Planes, in 2014. The following year, he appeared in Cake, opposite Jennifer Aniston, and in the disaster film Everest.

Movie Highlights

See Full Filmography

Factsheet

  • Worked as a bricklayer before pursuing an acting career.
  • Studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.
  • Debuted as an actor in a stage production of Judas Kiss at Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney.
  • Won the 2004 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Male Actor in Somersault, the first film ever to win AFIs in all 13 categories.
  • In 2006, was seriously considered for the role of James Bond, which went to Daniel Craig. 
  • Had sold all of his belongings and was living in a car before his big break in Avatar (2009).
  • Received the Australians in Film Breakthrough Award in 2009.
  • In 2010, founded production company Full Clip Productions with John and Michael Schwarz.
  • Starred in 2012 film Man on a Ledge, with most of his scenes shot while 200 feet up from the ground, despite a fear of heights.