Matt Damon Called Himself 'Dumbest Actor Of All Time' For Turning Down 10% Stake In Avatar

James Cameron’s Avatar is one of the highest-grossing films of all time, having drawn in a whopping £2.17 billion ($2.78bn) at the international box office after it was released in 2009 – but while most of the people involved are no doubt delighted with its success, there’s one man absolutely kicking himself. 

The movie was knocked off the top spot by Avengers: Endgame's £2.18 billion ($2.79bn) in 2019, but the sci-fi epic got the lead again when it was released in China in March 2021, taking its total estimated gross to $2.802 billion. 

This must have come as slightly unfortunate news to Matt Damon, who could've been a helluva lot richer now had he taken advantage of the opportunity when it was handed to him. 

Twentieth Century Fox

Speaking to GQ alongside Christian Bale for their movie Le Mans '66 in 2019, the actor said that Cameron offered him 10 percent of the 2009 film's profits if he was willing to play the lead character, Jake Sully. 

But he turned the filmmaker down, leading the way for Sam Worthington to step in for the job instead. 

Damon recalled: "Jim Cameron offered me Avatar. And when he offered it to me, he goes, 'Now, listen. I don't need anybody. I don't need a name for this, a named actor. If you don't take this, I'm going to find an unknown actor and give it to him, because the movie doesn't really need you'. 

"'But if you take the part, I'll give you ten percent of [it]...'” 

Alamy

He went on to say that he had duties to do with the Bourne series at the time and so unfortunately couldn't say yes, adding: "I realised in having to say no that I was probably passing on the chance to ever work with him. 

"So that sucked and that's still brutal. But my kids are all eating. I'm doing OK." 

After making the revelation, just in case Damon wasn't feeling regretful enough, the BBC did the calculations for him and figured out that he missed out on a whopping £195 million ($250m) - and that’s before that boost from audiences in China, of course. 

At first, Damon’s reaction was one of denial, before admitting he must be the ‘dumbest’ actor. 

He joked: "I don't want to hear it, I honestly don't want to hear it. I do like the fact that I'm allowed to say with pride I'm the dumbest actor of all time, I'm like the worst businessman." 

Still, with an estimated net worth of £132 million ($170m), I doubt anyone’s feeling too sorry for him.