Titanic director James Cameron reveals why he fled U.S. for ‘sane’ New Zealand after bashing Trump

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James Cameron explained that he relocated to New Zealand because of the country’s successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 71-year-old director, originally from Ontario, Canada, recently told Graham Besinger that he feels New Zealand is a more secure place to live than the United States, largely because of how effectively New Zealand handled the pandemic.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker asked where people would prefer to live – in a place that values science, is reasonable, and where people can collaborate effectively to achieve shared objectives.

Honestly, I worry about a future where we’re all constantly fighting, deeply divided, and ignoring facts. It would leave us incredibly vulnerable – especially if another pandemic hits. We’d be in real trouble if we can’t find common ground and trust in expertise.

Cameron, the director of huge hits like Titanic, The Terminator, Avatar, and Aliens, stated that New Zealand successfully eradicated the virus twice before it reappeared in a changed form and began to spread again.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the global response to the coronavirus closely, and it’s fascinating to see how different countries handled things. In a recent interview, Cameron pointed out that when a concerning new strain hit New Zealand, they were in a really strong position – almost everyone, around 98 percent of the population, was already vaccinated. That’s significantly higher – over 36 percent more – than what we’ve seen here in the United States. It really highlights the impact of widespread vaccination efforts.

Cameron expressed his fondness for New Zealand, contrasting it with the United States. He noted that New Zealand generally seemed more reasonable, pointing to the fact that the US vaccination rate was around 62 percent and decreasing, which he saw as a negative trend.

During their conversation, Bensinger praised the U.S., calling it ‘a fantastic place to live.’ Cameron simply responded with a questioning, ‘Is it?’

After Bensinger mentioned New Zealand’s beautiful landscapes, Cameron quipped, ‘I’m not going for the views—I need a break from everything.’

Cameron first considered moving to New Zealand in 1994. He was captivated by the country and its people after a visit, saying he ‘just really fell in love with’ it.

Said Cameron: ‘I made myself a promise – “I’m going to come live here someday.”‘

Cameron mentioned that he and his wife, Suzy, who is 64, had discussed moving before, and she had always been open to it.

Cameron recalled that when he and Suzy’s relationship was becoming more committed, she readily agreed to whatever he suggested, saying, ‘Sure, no problem.’

Cameron and his wife had long considered owning property in New Zealand, even while they had homes in Southern California. They finally decided to make the move after the success of the movie Avatar.

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The filmmaker explained that once they started a family and put down roots in Malibu and Santa Barbara, they needed to revisit their initial plans. However, they had previously agreed, after finishing Avatar, to move forward with the project.

Last month, a visibly frustrated Cameron strongly criticized Trump and his administration’s environmental policies.

Cameron strongly criticized the president, calling him the most narcissistic and offensive leader in history, comparing him unfavorably to Nero. He explicitly stated that his comments could be reported as a direct quote.

Cameron expressed his frustration to The Hollywood Reporter, saying he believes people are mistaken about what the future holds.

‘We are going backwards.’

Last year, Cameron described a potential second term for Donald Trump as a step backwards from acceptable standards. He shared this opinion during an appearance on the Paddy Gower podcast, The Fing News.

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2026-01-22 03:04