Josh Gad Reveals Why He Missed Out on an Avatar Role: Smurf-Gate 2009

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Josh Gad is opening up about the one time he almost joined Pandora but got blue-balled by James Cameron.

In his hilariously titled memoir, In Gad We Trust (which we can only assume is now a top contender for Book Club of the Year), the 43-year-old actor spills the tea about auditioning for Avatar, the 2009 blockbuster that turned people into obsessive blue alien fans overnight. Spoiler alert: Gad did not end up being one of those blue aliens.

โ€œI put myself on tape,โ€ Josh recalled, likely in his living room with a camera propped on a stack of books because, hey, humble beginnings. โ€œNot long after, I got a call saying James Cameron himself wanted to fly me to LA for a final callback at his Lightstorm production offices.โ€ You know, no big dealโ€”just the King of the World casually summoning you to his cinematic spaceship of a studio.

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The role in question? Jake Sullyโ€™s (played by Sam Worthington) bestie and translator, the guy who would help him understand the Naโ€™vi language, their culture, and probably their questionable tree-climbing safety regulations. Gad was this close to being a part of movie history.

But alas, destiny had other plans, and those plans apparently included traumatizing Josh with someโ€ฆ letโ€™s say, unexpected visual effects.

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โ€œI apparently did not get [the role],โ€ Gad explained, โ€œbecause, while James Cameron was thrilled with my audition, when I was turned into a digital Avatar, I supposedly looked like a tall, overweight Smurf.โ€ Thatโ€™s right. A Smurf. Not even a majestic Naโ€™vi warriorโ€”just Papa Smurfโ€™s long-lost cousin who moonlights as a baritone in the Smurf choir.

In the end, the role went to Joel David Moore, who played Norm Spellman, Jake Sullyโ€™s nerdy sidekick and Naโ€™vi linguistics expert. Joel was everything the Naโ€™vi could have hoped forโ€”skinny, appropriately blue, and definitely not giving off โ€œSmurf on steroidsโ€ energy.

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So, while Gad didnโ€™t get to live his best Naโ€™vi life, he can at least rest easy knowing that his rejection story is chefโ€™s kiss comedy gold. And who knows, maybe thereโ€™s a Smurf reboot with his name on it.

Josh Gad Reveals Why He Missed Out on an Avatar Role: Smurf-Gate 2009

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