There was something in the water at the Embassy Theatre - and it wasn't just Pandoran reef life. As the red carpet rolled out for the NZ premiere of 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', the stars of the show, Sam Worthington (Jake Sully), Jack Champion (Spider), and Cliff Curtis (Tonowari), sat down with rova to pull back the curtain on the most emotional chapter of the franchise yet.

The 'Leaky Plumbing' Effect

While James Cameron’s epic is known for its groundbreaking tech, it’s the human (and Na'vi) emotion that’s hitting the hardest this time around. Sam Worthington didn't hold back, admitting that even though he’s lived and breathed the production for years, the final cut still gets him every time - no matter how many times he's seen it. 

Cliff Curtis had a more unique way of describing the sensation, joking that it wasn't exactly "crying" but rather a case of "leaky plumbing" in his eyes while talking to the director. Whether it’s the grief of the Sully family or the sheer scale of the world, the cast is in agreement: bring tissues.

Wellington’s DNA

For this cast, returning to Wellington isn't just a press stop; it’s a homecoming. 

"There's so much DNA of Wellington in this movie. Jim (Cameron) was saying he thought three-quarters of the audience coming to the premiere were involved in making it." 

Despite having just come from bringing Fire and Ash to fans all over Europe, Jack says being in Wellington, for him, is "bigger". "I grew up here, essentially," he said, referring to his formative teenage years spent here filming 'Avatar: The Way of Water'. Cliff said he couldn't overstate how significant it was for him to have such a huge film franchise tied to Aotearoa. "It's a huge acknowledgement of our artisans, our crew, our filmmakers and our storytellers that he chooses to build the Avatar world here. It speaks to who we are as a culture." 

Partying on Pandora 

When asked how their Avatar counterparts would celebrate if the premiere after-party was held on Pandora, the answers were bang on. 

Jack reckoned Spider would be the life of the party, likely dancing on top of the bar, while Cliff stayed in character as Tonowari, imagining he’d be too busy tracking down Jake Sully’s son to see where his daughter had disappeared to. Sam thought Jake would be "connected with everyone" through the 'kuru' all Na'vi have. 

What actually went down at the real-life afterparty in Welly? We'll never know. But we can be sure it was awesome to bring Hollywood back home to NZ for a minute. 

'Avatar: Fire and Ash' is out now.