Having appeared extensively in “Avatar,” Joel David Moore was already accustomed to the complex shooting schedule and cutting-edge filming techniques used to bring the wold of Pandora to life. The same cannot be said for Moore’s wife and son who were, understandably, a little overwhelmed when they set foot on set. Once they became a little more comfortable, Moore told Yahoo! having his newborn on set “was the joy of a lifetime.”
The Child Labor Laws for Film Production are very specific, so Moore’s son could only shoot for 15 minutes at a time. Even though Ollie was only involved in a couple of takes, ultimately, he still received the star treatment. “It was really nice because he had a trailer right next to my trailer,” revealed Moore. “It said ‘O. Moore’ on his trailer and then ‘Joel David Moore’ on my trailer.” How cute is that?
The quick flashback montage featuring Moore’s son in “Avatar: The Way of Water” is important, largely because it shows how Jake and Neytiri have transitioned from star-crossed lovers and battle-tested warriors to proud parents trying to raise a family that are still somewhat seen as outsiders. In the film, Jake utters the line “Wherever we go, this family is our fortress.” Apparently, that sentiment is true onscreen and off.
In another interesting tidbit, Moore mentioned one fact that makes his son Ollie a very unique performer within James Cameron’s ever-expanding universe. “He probably had two or three takes total, something around there, which is the shortest amount of takes that maybe has ever happened on ‘Avatar.'” Sounds like the kid’s a natural.
Audiences will find out what’s happening next with Moore’s character Norm, the Sully family, and other new clans and cultures when “Avatar 3” splashes into theaters on December 20, 2024.