Avatar star Sigourney Weaver has spoken out about 'concerns' that were raised over a controversial kissing scene in the third instalment of the film franchise.
The American actress, 76, has explained what really went down on set when shooting a smooch between her teenage character Kiri and her young co-star Jack Champion.
Reviews have been rolling in about Avatar: Fire and Ash since it was released last week and a lot of fans reckon the flick has some of the 'steamiest tail sex scenes of all time'.
Weaver joined the cast as Dr Grace Augustine in the first film, which was released back in 2009, but later returned as the adopted daughter of Jake Sully and Neytiri after her original character was killed off.
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She stars as the adolescent Na’vi-human hybrid in the third Avatar flick alongside the likes of Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña and Stephen Lang.
Champion, 21, also reprised his role of Spider - the human teenager living on Pandora who becomes part of the extended Sully family - for the movie.
He was only a teenager when filming for Fire and Ash took place - which is why some people have raised eyebrows about his character locking lips with Weaver in Fire and Ash.
Champion was between the ages of 14 and 16 years old while shooting James Cameron's latest masterpiece, while the Alien actress would've been between 69 and 71.
Weaver has since revealed that the Avatar crew took a 'very delicate' approach to crafting their kissing scene, given that the pair were born in completely different generations.
She explained that she and Champion didn't actually snog on the set of Fire and Ash, as Cameron instead brought in someone else to plant their lips on the Scream VI actor.
"That scene where I say, 'You’re perfect just as you are', we had to be very delicate about that scene because it included a kiss," Weaver told the Hollywood Reporter.
"Obviously I wasn’t going to kiss Jack, who was 14 or 15, in real life. We asked Jack to pick someone I could kiss and he did. Then I imagine when I wasn’t there, they picked someone appropriate for Jack.
"That concern about all of that, which is quite legitimate, was going on. And I’m glad the scene survived, because when I saw it, I believed it.
"It’s so genuine between the two of them and any concern about Jack’s real age and my real age, I think there’s no room for it there."
She went on to praise Champion's 'terrific' performance in Fire and Ash, while speaking of how well they got along on set.
"It was like a little vacation whenever we had a scene because we’re frolicking," Weaver said.
"It’s kind of a time off for me because she’s so deliriously happy; she (Kiri) enjoys his company so much.
"I don’t know how tall I’m supposed to be, like 6’4, and he’s what, 5’8 or something, and I tower over him - and you can really see it in the film.
"Being a tall woman myself, height doesn’t matter at all. I love that we’re mismatched. It’s perfect."
Her co-star only has kind words to say about her too, as Champion recently opened up about the incredible bond they have built while starring alongside each other.
Explaining that they only had one scripted scene together when they first met, he told Entertainment Weekly: "But then for the next like 30 minutes, Sigourney and I just literally riffed.
"We really just used our imagination, and it was fun. Really, since the very beginning, Sigourney and I have been so locked in imaginatively that I’ve always been able [to] see Sigourney, then see Kiri."
Avatar: Fire and Ash is available to watch in cinemas now.
Topics: Celebrity, TV and Film, Film, Celebrity News
Olivia Burke