Sigourney Weaver refused a diving double in Avatar 2

Sigourney Weaver has shared that she was determined to perform in her own underwater scenes in Avatar 2, to show that age is no barrier to challenging acting work.

The 71-year-old told New York Times' T magazine that although the number of water scenes in the Avatar sequel intimidated her at first, she insisted to director James Cameron that she did not need a diving double.

"I had some concerns, but that's what the training was for," she remarked.

"And I really wanted to do it. I didn't want anyone to think, 'Oh she's old, she can't do this'," Weaver, who plays the role of Dr. Grace Augustine in the films, explained.

Training for the complex scenes involved Weaver finessing her diving skills in Hawaii and Key West, Florida, and taking instruction from military experts on how to hold her breath for six minutes.

Weaver noted that her give-it-all mentality comes from trusting the powers that be.

"My hope is that what I receive from the universe is even more outrageous than anything I can think of," Weaver reflected.

"I don't really say to myself, 'Well, you can't do this'. Or, 'You can't do that'," she asserted.

Avatar 2 is scheduled for release in December 2022.