节目资讯
刊物:空中英語教室
日期:2012-03-27
难易度:Low
关键字:dramatic, moderate, lead, rumored, institute, stardom
Welcome back from the break.
You know, it's funny sometimes how Hollywood works.
You know, Sam Worthington was a finalist to play James Bond until Daniel Craig
got the role.
And one reason Worthington got the Avatar job was because actors Jake Gyllenhaal
and Matt Damon turned it down.
Interesting.
OK. Let's find out more about Worthington's international success story on line
9.
Sam Worthington.
International success.
Having a lead role in a film as big as Avatar brought Worthington new
opportunities.
He worked well with James Cameron, a man with important contacts in the film
business.
When Cameron recommended Worthington for a role in Terminator Salvation, he got
the part.
Since then Worthington has played a starring role in Clash of the Titans.
This year he'll be in the film's sequel and in Drift, a movie about surfing.
Of course he is willing to act in any rumored Avatar sequels.
From his car to stardom, Worthington has come a long way.
OK. So we've been looking at Sam Worthington's humble beginnings.
He first got a phone call after he had sold all of his possessions and moved
into his car to get an audition.
And he needed to move to America in order to fulfill that role.
Now why is that important?
Well, because he took a leap of faith.
We see this throughout his whole life, he takes all these different steps.
But by moving from Australia to America, it allowed him to go from being just a
local star to being an international success.
Exactly. And you're right, it would take a huge leap of faith to decide to leave
your home and move all the way around the world like that.
But we saw he had nothing to lose and everything to gain, obviously, if he's
going to get some international success.
Well, having a lead role in a film as big as Avatar definitely was a good motive
to come... to move to America from Australia.
I mean, if you don't have anything, it's a little harder to make that decision.
But he had something - he had a lead role.
Yeah. And now the word "lead" here, especially when used next to a lead role,
Kaylah, is referring to the most important character in a story.
So for example, in Avatar, he was the main person that you were watching.
You were following his story in the movie.
He was the lead.
You said "lead character." So that's the character we're following.
So the word "role" hear means the part of playing that character.
So he is the actor is in the lead role, the position of creating that character,
and it is the lead character.
So that's a little bit hard to keep separate.
But the role is the person the actor doing it.
And the character is what they... what we see on the screen.
Right. OK, so the lead role is for an actor.
And the lead character is the character that the lead role plays.
OK. So he got this lead role in a film as big as Avatar.
And that brought him new opportunities.
I can't imagine the amount of opportunities he had.
He went from living in a car and being just a kind of nobody to being this huge
star because he is in James Cameron's film.
Exactly. James Cameron is well-known as a director; and Avatar is also a
well-known film.
I think most of us have probably seen Avatar.
Well, even before Avatar came out for the public to see, there was a lot of
talk-about-it.
So it was big even before we got to see it.
That is a great movie to start a career with.
Yes, it is.
Now you saw Avatar, right, Kaylah?
Yes, I did.
What did you think of it?
I thought it was good.
I thought the graphics were absolutely incredible.
Um, it was fun to see Sam's physical character even in the Avatars themselves.
That's true. Yeah.
Then do you think that this would be a great opportunity for Sam Worthington?
I can't imagine any better one.
That's true.
This movie, produced by James Cameraon; he was really well-known.
And this movie became very famous.
Of course it would create a good opportunity for Sam Worthington.
And what's more is he worked well with James Cameron.
They got along.
Now James Cameron is a man with important... contacts in the film business.
Now to make it in the film business - that is the movie industry - you have to
have good contacts.
So having James Cameron on your side was definitely a plus.
Yes. So this is a great thing. He has many more contacts through James Cameron.
Now when Cameron recommended Worthington for another role - that would create
even more opportunities - in the movie Terminator Salvation.
Right. He recommended.
That means he said: Sam is a good actor, and you should put him in your movie.
Well, James Cameron is famous, and people trust him.
So Sam got the part and was in Terminator Salvation.
Exactly. It would be great to have a recommendation from James Cameron.
So here he got the part in Terminator Salvation.
And since then Worthington has played a starring role in Clash of the Titans.
Now did you see that movie?
Actually, I did not see Clash of the Titans, but I did see a lot about it.
I heard it was actually really good.
But just the fact that he can keep doing all these movies is really impressive.
When you think about where he came from, how far he's come and he's still just
making... all of three of these movies were well-received in the box office.
Now Kaylah, here he got the star role in Clash of the Titans.
Is that the same as the lead role?
Yes, it is.
It's the role that we focus on, the one we see as the main character of the
story.
So we see he's very good at being the leading man.
Yes, he is.
Now this year he'll be in the film's sequel and in Drift, a movie about surfing.
Now this should be interesting.
He's already doing sequels to his own movies as well as continuing his career
with the new and exciting movies.
Now this one is about surfing.
That's true.
Now surfing is when you ride on a board in the ocean on the waves.
You will see surfers a lot at places like California or Hawaii.
Now of course he is willing to act in any rumored Avatar sequels.
Of course he would take time out of his schedule to act in any opportunity that
Avatar might have a rumored sequel.
Yes. Now the word "rumored" here, or if something is "rumored" means it is
talked about.
It could be true but it could also be false.
Hmm... So from his car to stardom, Wothington has come a long way.
So hopefully he does have the opportunity to work with another Avatar movie.
But from his car to stardom, that's a great trip.
Yes. So he was in his car, he sold his possessions, but he made it to stardom.
And if you're in "stardom," that means you are famous, well-known.
So he moved, Kaylah, from being poor in his car to being a star.
He has really come a long way.
Well, let's join us together as we watch the skit.
Hi. I'm here for my interview.
I'm Sam Worthington.
Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you. I'm James Cameron.
James Cameron, the famous movie director!
Yep, yep. Surprise.
It's... it's me.
And I want to cast you for a new movie.
Why me?
I'm not an international celebrity.
True, but you know about hard work.
Yes.
And you graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Arts.
Yeah, that's me.
And you've had a success in Australian TV shows and movies.
Yes... well, moderate success.
So I want you for the leading role in Avatar.
Me? Leading role?
Avatar!
I'm shocked.
So... so what's the next step?
Say yes and come with me to America.
Yes! Why not? I have nothing to lose.
And everything to gain.
This film will bring you new opportunities.
It will?
Of course! I have contacts in the film business.
After Avatar, I can recommend you for other roles.
Wow! Thank you, Mr. Cameron.
I'm sure we'll work well together.
I'm sure we will.
Now in the movie, you will be a big, blue Avatar.
So that's my purpose.
I'm a big, blue Avatar.
Yes. And Avatar with a big, blue tail.
Tail?
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And that concludes our Language Tips today.
I'll see you soon. Bye-bye.
Have you ever felt like you wanted to start over in life, like you needed a
fresh start?
Sam Worthington did.
He started over by selling most of his possessions and then using that money to
buy a car.
Then he began living in that car.
Just a little later, Worthington got an opportunity of a lifetime.
With nothing to lose, he took that chance, moved to America and became an
international success.
OK, everyone, let's meet again tomorrow when we ask how late is too late.
Until then, have a great day.