Jack Champion is known for his role, Spider in James Cameron’s cinematic masterpiece Avatar sequel, The Way of Water. The actor played the part of a human boy who Jake and Neytiri raised in Pandora after losing his parents during the war. Despite being a teenager now and considering himself part of the Na’vi, he struggles to be fully accepted by the rest of the tribe.
The film explores the theme of family, as Cameron explained in an interview with GQ, showcasing the challenges that two warrior parents face when they have children and continue to engage in an epic struggle. This marks Cameron’s return to filmmaking after a long hiatus, with three more Avatar films planned in the future. Champion shared his experience preparing for his role in the coveted franchise.
Jack Champion Enjoyed Bodybuilding The Most For His Role
During an interview with GQ, Champion was asked which of the various training methods he underwent to prepare for the role was the most enjoyable. In response, the actor expressed his fascination for bodybuilding and shared his experience working with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“I was lucky enough to work out with Arnold Schwarzenegger a few times. James Cameron and Arnold are like best friends and when Arnold visited I was like ‘Hey, can I work out with you?’ And he was like ‘Yeah, sure. I’ll be there at Gold’s Gym, seven o’clock tomorrow.’ I was like ‘Oh my God.’ It was awesome, like 13 year old me and my trainer Josh, we went to Gold’s Gym the next day and Arnold just walked us through his daily workout and it was so, so cool.”
Speaking of his dietary habits, the actor said he tried maintaining a healthy diet. While he did not always hit his target protein intake every day, he tried his best to make conscious food choices. However, he did admit that sticking to a healthy diet can be challenging, especially since, like any typical teenager, he was attracted to snacking and junk food.
Jack Champion Trained For Two Years For His Role
During the interview, Champion was asked about the duration of his training process. The actor responded by saying that he underwent two years of training in order to maintain a shirtless physique.
“We had to come up with a plan that would be attainable for two years. I did a lot of high-rep weight lifting, high-intensity interval training, boxing workouts, and incline walks. It was cool because Avatar and Josh made me my own traveling gym trailer so that it was accessible throughout filming.”
Apart from weightlifting and CrossFit, Champion underwent combat training in archery and intense scuba and freediving lessons to execute stunts underwater. He also shared that the training transformed him from someone with no experience working out to a ripped teenager who could survive in the jungle of Pandora.
The first installment of Avatar is available for streaming on Disney+.
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Source: GQ Magazine
