"Wrath Of The Titans" Hunk Sam Worthington On His Softer Side

The actor explains that he's much more than just a fearless action hero.

By CL Gaber — Written on Mar 30, 2012

Sam Worthington is a screen hunk who doesn't mind a little teasing from his girlfriend, Crystal Humphries. She will even point out the fact that he's not exactly "Workout Guy."

"I don't really like the gym. I try to put that fact into my characters," he jokes.

"In fact, my girlfriend watched Wrath (of The Titans) and said, 'Sam, you run really funny. You look out of breath and out of shape. It's so real.' I said, 'In reality, I was just exhausted, but I had that written into the script with just one line: 'Perseus hurt his bum and he needs to run a little slower.''"  

In reality, the 35-year-old English-born Australian is not really that much slower. It's a safe bet to say that Worthington is as strong as ever as the hero Perseus in the sequel to Clash of the Titans, in theaters today.

In person, he's a beyond casual guy in a blue hoodie sweat jacket and a pair of jeans. He's tan and toned with a square-jaw and a mop of messy light brown hair that just adds to his appeal. It's fitting since he used to work construction in Australia before he made it big (as you may recall, he starred in that little box office hit Avatar with $1.8 billion in grosses). Avatar In 3-D: Not A Great Date Movie

Of his appearance, Worthington's Man on a Ledge co-star, Elizabeth Banks, says, "I had never met Sam. The day he showed up for rehearsal, he was late and his hair was a disaster. He wore a ratty T-shirt that looked like he pulled it out of a laundry bin. He carried his script to the set in a Walgreens plastic bag. He looked like a homeless man.

"By the way," she jokes, "that hair never changed. He kept it because he had to do Wrath of the Titans."

Something tells us Worthington's dedication to his craft (and hair) is about to pay off. Here's what he had to tell us about his tough guy image and his latest adventure:

You've been working non-stop with Man on a Ledge, Wrath of the Titans and now there is an upcoming Avatar sequel. What do you do to relax?
I've been in Hawaii lately on vacation doing not much – and I loved it. It's nice to just kick back on the beach and get a little R&R in. "Hunger Games" Josh Hutcherson On Sacrificing It All For Love

Would it wreck your image to ask if you got hurt making Wrath of the Titans?
Yes! I have friends in Australia who play rugby. If I'm some whining actor who cries that he gets hurt, that makes me look like a total pu---. I'm from the school where if you're not bleeding too much, you get up and do the next take.

You're tough on yourself. You've said that you're not thrilled with your performance in the first Clash of the Titans.
Frankly, I f----- up on the first one, but I have more leverage now as an actor. I got lucky where I could do a sequel where I had a say and could rectify the mistakes I made the last time. I really created more of a well-rounded character for the sequel. He's a guy who lost the love of his life and he's just quietly raising his son. He just wants the boy to be safe. That's his main goal… I was personally happy with what I did with the sequel. I'm very vocal when it comes to my roles now. The truth is, I don't want to let down my audience. Can A Hollywood Action Star Be Gay?

Will you give James Cameron suggestions for Avatar 2?
No chance of that. I see him soon. It's not like I will say, "I've got some idea for the sequel." I can imagine him saying, "Oh you do, Sam? You can easily be replaced."

Do you like making big budget popcorn films?
Sometimes, it's okay to just make a movie where people get their $16 worth. With a title about a man on a ledge, you know what you're going to see. It's about how he gets on that ledge – and how he gets off it. You know that in Wrath, it's going to be an edge of your seat action movie where larger than life figures fight to the death. I believe audiences often want to know what they're going to get when the lights dim and the film rolls.

Do you have a softer side?
I'm a big baby. Just joking. I was proud of myself that I didn't burst into tears or curl up into a ball when I walked out onto a ledge 200 feet up in the air for Man on a Ledge. I don't really have vertigo, but I do have a fear of heights. Still, I didn't burst into tears crying, "I don't want to do this movie! Somebody call my agent!" Does Marriage Make Men Softies?