We'll make it our mission to keep mo-cap out of Michael Bay's hands. How did you develop the distinct Na'vi body movements?
Working with this amazing choreographer, Terry Notary, who used to work with Cirque du Soleil—he did the stunts in the Fantastic Four sequel and The Incredible Hulk. We had to dehumanize ourselves, all the ones that were playing the Na'vi. That took a lot of time and was the hardest thing, to dehumanize myself. We learned how to walk—these characters have tails and they're nine feet tall, so their torsos are longer. I couldn't nod my head or shake my head. Sometimes we did endless takes because I just couldn't not do something human.
I'm not going to shave my legs just because you don't feel like touching hairy legs. For that, you better shave your...
Cameron seems like he really went in when he created this other world, almost like Tolkien did with his Middle Earth.
Jim conceived of everything: a language with a linguist from USC, and every plant and animal. There are historians that are going to be working on it. It's going to be one of those Star Wars/Star Trek kind of films— people are going to be speaking Na'vi.
Speaking of Star Trek, what makes a Vulcan a good boyfriend?
The brains. The brains.
You probably didn't mean that the way we're taking it, but we like it. Both Star Trek and Avatar have crazy merchandising: toys, video games, etc. Do you keep any of that for yourself?
I do from Star Trek. I don't know how long it's going to last, though, because every time kids come in my house, they want them.
Did toy companies take a lot of...liberties with your action figure?
I think they did. My doll's legs are really skinny, much more then mine.
Yes, that's exactly what we were hinting at. Do you ever wonder if people are playing with your action figure inappropriately?
[Laughs.] I think it's hot. [Laughs.] I'm OK with it, actually. Maybe I would be doing it with someone else's figurine if I were a fan.
With its eco-friendly message, Avatar reminds us of An Inconvenient Truth, only it doesn't make us want to scratch our eyes out from boredom.
Jim has a very similar point of view to a lot of characters in the movie and I think that he wanted to be honest about that, but it's not intrusive or preachy at all. You'll come to your own conclusions about the environment—about us ravaging resources with no regard.
Speaking of ravaging resources, I read a quote from Women's Health where you said you "want to keep your ass together as long as possible without going against nature." So you're opposed to plastic surgery?
Not at all! I mean, whatever you need to do!
For you personally, though?
Today I don't feel like I need it...unless you think I do.
I can't imagine anything further from the truth.
I'm just not going to do it for all the wrong reasons. I do feel that our business should be a little more flexible with women. The moment a woman has a baby it's like, "Oh, she's not sexy!" What, having a baby means you can't imagine sleeping with her? We have the same critical opinion about men, but we're sympathetic and discreet and we won't share it all the time. I mean, do you really think we like a man with a gut? A bald man? Are you kidding me?! But we accept you as who you are because that's the way that society has made us to be. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to shave my legs just because you don't feel like touching hairy legs. For that, you better shave your...
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