In Shape’s January 2023 “No Filter” interview, Bailey Bass described going from a teenager with virtually no swimming experience to training for the underwater world of Avatar: The Way of Water. The conversation also touched on her views about acne, her decision to limit social media to Instagram, and her love of cooking. It captures what Bass said at 19, around the film’s release—not a current update.
How Bailey Bass prepared for Avatar: The Way of Water
Bass told Shape she auditioned for the film at 12 and did not initially think much about pursuing the role. By the time she was preparing for the physically demanding production, she had taken up parkour at around 13 and was working out in the gym.
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Swimming was a bigger challenge. Bass described her swimming experience before audition preparation as “nonexistent.” Her mother arranged three lessons in one week, and Bass said the audition process included swimming, treading water, and holding her breath. Once cast, she and her fellow actors trained and earned freediving and scuba certifications. They also learned sign language to communicate underwater. Shape’s interview recounts her account of that preparation.
Freediving was nerve-racking before it became enjoyable
Bass said freediving initially made her the most nervous, but she eventually came to enjoy it. Shape reported that her personal breath-hold record during the film was six and a half minutes. That is Bass’s interview-reported experience, not an independently measured benchmark or a general measure of what someone can safely achieve. She also described the discipline involved in training: “Keeping your body moving when it wants to say no needs a lot of discipline, and I love doing that.”
#1 Best Overall
- Return to Pandora for the third chapter of Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully and his family. Reeling from one death, the Sullys set out to prevent another — aided by the Wind Traders. But on the way, they’re attacked by the Ash People, who blame Eywa for their ravaged home. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes may affect photosensitive viewers.
What Bass said about playing Tsireya
In a separate interview published by D23 in December 2022, Bass discussed Tsireya, the daughter of Tonowari and Ronal, leaders of the Metkayina clan. Bass called the character “kind and warm” and said Tsireya tries to see people for the best of who they are. She also connected that empathy to the fact that no one can know exactly what another person is experiencing. D23’s interview with Bass offers this character-focused perspective.
Her perspective on acne and skincare
Bass said skincare interests her enough that she reads ingredient lists and likes learning about the science. She also pushed back on the stigma around acne, calling it natural and saying it is shunned despite being common.
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She mentioned that her mother sells Rodan and Fields products and said she found success clearing her own skin with a red-light tool. Those details describe her personal experience and family context; the interview does not identify a device or establish that red-light treatment works as a general acne treatment. Bass’s comments appear in the Shape profile.
Why she limited her social media
Bass said she did not have TikTok and used only Instagram, framing that choice as a way to protect her mental health and keep the online space where she shared content feeling safe. “I only have Instagram because that’s part of me protecting my mental health,” she told Shape. It was her personal boundary, not a recommendation that everyone use social platforms in the same way.
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Cooking as a creative outlet
Outside acting, Bass said she enjoys cooking and makes cooking videos. She named tomato soup and vegan pasta among her go-to dishes, while joking, “I’m the vegan that loves meat.” The exchange offers a glimpse of an everyday interest beyond her film role and physical training.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Return to Pandora for the third chapter of Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully and his family. Reeling from one death, the Sullys set out to prevent another — aided by the Wind Traders. But on the way, they’re attacked by the Ash People, who blame Eywa for their ravaged home. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes may affect photosensitive viewers.
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