Sam Worthington started his career with a small role in Bootmen (2000). That same year, he appeared in the TV series JAG, Water Rats, and Blue Healer. His big career breakthrough came when he starred in the Terminator franchise, playing Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation, which propelled him to the international spotlight.
Worthington’s career would then move to even greater heights when he starred as Jake Sully in James Cameron’s Avatar, which became one of the most successful films in history. At this year’s CinemaCon, the title of Avatar’s sequel was finally revealed, along with some exclusive footage. Avatar: The Way of Water is set to be the most immersive 3D experience ever, according to Cameron. According to Forbes, the film’s trailer debuted this past weekend exclusively in theaters. Worthington will reprise his role as Jake, and the movie is slated to release later this year. Until then, here’s a look at Sam Worthington’s best movies, ranked.
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8 Cake
Freestyle Releasing
Cake stars Jennifer Aniston as Claire who seeks out more information about her chronic illness from a man named Roy (Worthington) whose wife had experienced her own chronic pain that drove her to commit suidice. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Lucy Punch, Mamie Gummer, William H. Macy, and Britt Robertson. Worthington’s chemistry with Anniston is great, making for an emotional experience.
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7 Terminator Salvation
Warner Bros.
Terminator Salvation was released in 2009 and revolves around humanity’s war against Skynet’s network and its army of terminators. The film is action-packed from start to finish, and stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Christian Bale, Linda Hamilton, and Helena Bonham Carter. Worthington plays Marcus Wright, and the performance put him on the map on a global scale.
6 The Debt
Marv Films
The Debt was release in 2010 and is set in 1965 East Berlin when three Mossad agents arrive to apprehend a war criminal. The mission then becomes complicated and unexpected events unfold. The film stars Jessica Chastain, Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, and Ciarán Hinds. Worthington plays David, who is one of the agents assigned to the case, and his performance is a standout in the film.
5 Everest
Cross Creek Pictures
Everest is a 2015 biographical survival adventure film directed and produced by Baltasar Kormákur and written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy, featuring an ensemble cast. It is based on the real events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, and focuses on the survival attempts of two expedition groups, one led by Rob Hall (Clarke) and the other by Scott Fischer (Gyllenhaal). Worthington plays Guy, a tour guide who suddenly finds himself fighting for survival, and his performance is effective at amplifying the already-high stakes of the film.
4 The Shack
Summit Entertainment
The Shack is a 2017 American film directed by Stuart Hazeldine and written by John Fusco, Andrew Lanham and Destin Daniel Cretton, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by William P. Young. Worthington plays the leading role as Mack, who, after losing a child, spirals into a deep depression that causes him to question his innermost beliefs. He receives a mysterious letter inviting him to a shack where he finds out more about his inner being. It’s an emotional journey, at which Worthington is the centre, and it’s one of his best performances overall.
3 Hacksaw Ridge
Lionsgate
Hacksaw Ridge was released in 2016 and tells the true story of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to bear arms during WWII on religious grounds. He manages to show that he can fight in a war through peace and not violence. Worthington plays Captain Jack Glover, who doubts Doss at first, but comes to admire his bravery soon after. The whole cast excel and the film was highly awarded.
2 Man on a Ledge
Man on a Ledge follows disgraced ex-cop Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), who steps onto the ledge of the highest floor of New York’s famous Roosevelt Hotel, and we quickly discover that there’s much more to the situation than meets the eye. The whole story continues to unravel as the woman that is sent to talk him down from the ledge gets one piece after another of the story, giving his accomplices time to find what they’re looking for and ultimately exonerate him. It’s a totally unique film that everyone should watch.
1 Avatar
20th Century Fox
Avatar was released in 2009 and tells the story of Sully (Sam Worthington), a paralyzed former Marine, who becomes mobile again through the use of avatars created in the likeness of the native species of a planet called Pandora. Through his adventures in his avatar, Jake falls in love with a Na’vi being (Zoe Saldana). As a bond with her grows, he is drawn into a battle for the survival and preservation of her world. The film was incredibly successful and broke box office records, and truly made Worthington a legendary actor.
