Hollywood icon Sigourney Weaver has directly responded to what she describes as 'legitimate' audience concerns regarding an on-screen kiss with her significantly younger co-star in the upcoming film, Avatar: Fire and Ash.
A 'Delicate' Scene Requiring Creative Solutions
The 76-year-old actress, who plays the teenage Na'vi character Kiri through performance capture, shares a romantic moment with the character Spider, portrayed by Jack Champion. The scene was filmed several years ago when Champion was only 14 or 15 years old; he is now 21.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Weaver revealed the production took great care to address the sensitive nature of the scene. 'Obviously I wasn't going to kiss Jack, who was 14 or 15, in real life,' she stated emphatically.
The solution was to film the intimate moment separately. Weaver explained that Champion was asked to select a stand-in for her to kiss, which he did. Similarly, she imagines an appropriate stand-in was found for Champion to film his part of the scene when she was not present. 'That concern about all of that, which is quite legitimate, was going on,' Weaver acknowledged.
Weaver Defends the Scene's Authenticity and 'Mismatched' Dynamic
Despite the unconventional filming method, Weaver is pleased the scene remains in the final cut. She believes its emotional truth transcends the actors' real-life age gap. '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 said.
Weaver clarified this was the 'only that one moment' filmed apart, and she cherished their other shared scenes, describing them as a 'frolicking' vacation. She also highlighted the visual dynamic between their characters, noting her tall, motion-captured Kiri towers over Champion's Spider.
'I love that we're mismatched. It's perfect,' she added, drawing a parallel to her own experience as a tall woman.
Co-Star and Director's Separate Controversies
For his part, Jack Champion has previously spoken about the ease of working with the legendary actress, attributing it to her immense skill in the performance-capture environment.
This revelation follows separate controversy involving the film's director, James Cameron. The 71-year-old filmmaker recently criticised comedian Amy Poehler for a joke she made about his former marriage to director Kathryn Bigelow during the 2013 Golden Globes. Cameron labelled the remark an 'ignorant dig' that went 'too far,' despite claiming to have a thick skin.
The discussion around Weaver's scene underscores the ongoing complexities in filmmaking regarding age, intimacy, and the use of technology to navigate sensitive content while preserving artistic intent.
