While hints at plot and character are finally starting to leak out, there is still a lot of mystery and anticipation surrounding James Cameron’s Avatar.

In the action-adventure, sci-fi/fantasy epic, an ex-Marine finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms, called the Na’vi, who have their own language and culture. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people.

While at the San Diego Comic-Con to promote the film, due in theaters on December 18th, co-stars Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana and Stephen Lang talked about being a part of such a huge film endeavor.

Q: Sigourney, since you have some experience with James Cameron, can you compare and contrast this project with others that you’ve done with him?

Weaver: He’s a man in his element, whether it’s 25 years ago or now. What I think was astonishing was that he operated, on almost every shot, which I’d never seen him do before. I’m not sure that He created every aspect of the world. He was inspired by all his oceanographic work, and he’s always loved actors. He really respects what we have to offer. He always says, “My script is a blueprint. Just use it as a jumping off point.”

He’ll try anything. He’ll do as many takes as you want. Considering the pressure cooker of a $200 million film, you never sense that pressure with Jim at all. He’s all about finding out the truth. It was very exciting. We had such a tiny group. We were very committed to this project. It just seemed like an awesome privilege, from the very beginning, to be a part of this.

Q: You’re a legacy, in working on big movies like this, with the Alien films. Any advice for your castmates, on the fervor that they can expect?

Weaver: We haven’t been exposed to too much fan fervor. We’ve been kept away from the actual fans, but the fans are particularly inspiring to me. They’re so out there and they care so much. For the geek that I was growing up, I feel right at home.

Q: What did you geek out about, as a kid?

Weaver: I always had my nose in a book. I was this tall when I was 11, so no one wanted anything to do with me. I think that’s why I was so happy and relaxed in performance capture. I was always acting things out and always doing plays at school. Make believe saved me. Most actors would probably say that.

Q: Zoe, were you intimidated by all this technology?

Saldana: At first, it was because I had very little knowledge about anything. I barely knew how to turn on a computer. And, Jim would use these big, big words, trying to explain it to me. He gave me a very warm and slow introduction into how the process was going to be. I was very apprehensive. I thought that I was going to lose half of the performance control over my character. He could’ve grabbed my eyes or my lips and put it on someone else.

He had to show me everything. He said, “These are the computers. This is what’s going to happen.” We would shoot something and then he’d later show it to me. He had to walk Sam and I through that, in order for us to gain a lot of comfort. After we understood how it was done, it was almost, in some ways, like going back to shooting a regular movie because it really brought the child out. It made my imagination infinite, in terms of taking everything away that’s around you and leaving you with just your mind to work. This world was more alive than any book I’ve ever read or any movie I’ve ever seen. It was hard to part with it. As we grow older, part of growing older is limiting your imagination. That’s why actors are always in constant training. You have to remain open. Motion capture films are a great tool for that.

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