Disney star says he could have played Jake Sully’s best friend in Avatar but James Cameron had to let him go because he looked like a "tall overweight Smurf"

Disney star Josh Gad says he almost landed a role in James Cameron’s 2009 epic Avatar, but the director had to let him go because of his appearance as a Na’vi.

"I put myself on tape and shortly thereafter got a call that Cameron wanted to fly me to Los Angeles for a final callback at his Lightstorm production offices," Gad explains in his new memoir 'In Gad We Trust' (H/T Variety). "I apparently did not get [the role] because, while James Cameron was said to be thrilled with my audition, when I was turned into a digital Avatar I supposedly looked like a tall, overweight Smurf." Ouch.

The star was set to play "the role of Jake Sully’s (Sam Worthington) best friend and translator" as Gad recalls. However, the part ultimately went to Joel David Moore who plays Sully’s pal and Na’vi language expert Norm Spellman in the sci-fi flick.

Latest Videos From

As for Cameron’s sci-fi saga, Avatar went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time, with its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water hitting screens in 2022. Cameron has since confirmed that three more Avatar movies are on the way. Avatar 3, titled Avatar: Fire and Ash, is set to release on December 19, 2025.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.