Oscar-winning actor Matt Damon has opened up about a major career decision that cost him a whopping $250 million. In 2009, Damon was offered the lead role in James Cameron's groundbreaking film Avatar and a percentage of the movie's earnings. However, he turned down the opportunity, joking that it was “something awful like that,” Yahoo reports.

During an interview on CNN's “Who's Talking to Chris Wallace,” Damon discussed the decision and acknowledged that it was likely the most money any actor had ever turned down. Despite his successful career and roles in hit films like “The Martian,” “The Bourne Identity,” and “Ocean's Eleven,” Matt Damon admitted that predicting the success of a movie is uncertain.

“Nobody knows what movie is going to be a hit—you just don't know,” Damon said. Instead, he shared that his calculus for choosing roles has always been about the director. He expressed his willingness to work with great directors, even without a script.

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In the case of Avatar, Damon's role eventually went to actor Sam Worthington, and the film went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. The success of the film led to multiple sequels that will continue to be released in the coming years.

While Damon missed out on a substantial amount of money and the chance to be part of a groundbreaking 3D movie, he emphasized the importance of integrity and sticking to his commitments. At the time of the Avatar offer, Damon was already committed to shooting the “Bourne” movie, and leaving the project would have left the production team in a difficult position.

“I had a contract,” Damon explained. “I was in the middle of shooting the ‘Bourne' movie, and I would have to leave the movie early and leave them in the lurch a little bit.”