James Cameron blasts Amy Poehler over Kathryn Bigelow marriage joke that went ‘too far’ as he insists he has ‘thick skin’

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James Cameron has publicly criticized Amy Poehler for a joke she made about his relationship with filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow.

Okay, so as a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following this story and it’s definitely sparking conversation! The director of the blockbuster ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ a 71-year-old, recently spoke out about a joke made by 54-year-old Poehler. He felt it really crossed a line and was actually quite insensitive, even though he maintains he’s not easily offended. It’s interesting to see even someone with a ‘thick skin’ can be affected, especially after such a successful weekend for his film – it brought in an incredible $345 million worldwide!

Cameron and Bigelow were married from 1989 to 1991. Years later, in 2013, Cameron was nominated for a Golden Globe for the film Zero Dark Thirty – a political thriller that contained scenes of torture – at an awards show hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

The comedian started their set with a joke: ‘If I had to pick someone to oversee torture, I’d trust a woman who was married to James Cameron for three years.’

I was surprised to read that Cameron finally spoke up about that joke! It’s been almost 13 years, and he shared his feelings in a recent interview with The New York Times. I’m glad he finally addressed it.

Honestly, I was really disappointed by what he said about Amy Poehler. It felt like a needlessly harsh jab, especially coming at an event that should be about celebrating movies and the people who make them – not tearing them down. It just didn’t feel right for the occasion at all.

‘I’m pretty thick-skinned, and happy to be the butt of a good-natured joke, but that went too far.’ 

The audience at the 2013 awards show burst into laughter, with many people also visibly surprised.

Cameron added that the fact people laughed proves what they assume about him, despite not actually knowing him or his work.

Amy Poehler went through a public divorce from actor and comedian Will Arnett in 2016, ending their 13-year marriage.

Cameron recently discussed the awkward situation of competing against his ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow, for Best Director at the 2010 Oscars. Bigelow won the award for The Hurt Locker, while Cameron’s film, Avatar, was also nominated.

Cameron shared with the New York Times that he wholeheartedly supported his ex-wife when she succeeded him, saying he was the first to applaud her victory.

The director spoke highly of Bigelow, describing her as a ‘remarkable person,’ and shared that they continue to offer each other advice on their work.

He shared that both he and Kathryn found the larger story surrounding them amusing, but he worried it might undermine Kathryn’s reputation as a director. They were frustrated that the focus shifted away from her actual film and onto the narrative about them, and that was something they both disliked.

Cameron recently criticized Matt Damon’s statement about declining a leading role in Avatar, pointing out that Damon claimed this decision cost him a potential $290 million.

The  filmmaker offered clarification during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday. 

Damon has mentioned before that he turned down the part of Jake Sully, which Sam Worthington eventually played.

Matt Damon, known for his role in ‘The Martian,’ says James Cameron offered him 10% of the earnings from the 2009 film ‘Avatar.’ Since ‘Avatar’ earned nearly $2.9 billion worldwide, Damon reportedly missed out on potentially earning hundreds of millions of dollars.

Okay, so the director finally talked about it, and honestly, it’s just… frustrating. He straight-up said they never even offered it to him! Can you believe it? And then he gets all vague, like he can’t even remember if he sent the script! He’s not sure?! It’s like he’s trying to pretend it wasn’t a huge mistake not to cast him. I just… I need answers! It feels like they didn’t even consider him seriously, and it breaks my heart!

Cameron remembered talking to Damon on the phone, and Damon had said he liked Avatar. However, Damon was committed to making another Jason Bourne movie, which created a scheduling problem.

The director explained that while there was interest, a formal offer was never made, and they didn’t even discuss the character with him. It all came down to scheduling conflicts.

‘Now what he’s done is he’s extrapolated “I get 10 percent of the gross on all my films.”‘

Honestly, James Cameron basically just told us that if he thought he had to compromise his vision at all for ‘Avatar,’ he wouldn’t have even made the movie. And I totally believe him! He’s that dedicated, you know? He’s not messing around when it comes to his art.

The filmmaker reassured Matt Damon that he shouldn’t worry about not being involved, jokingly saying he didn’t miss out on anything.

Even though he disagreed with the actor’s widely circulated statements, Cameron expressed his own desire to work with the star of Good Will Hunting someday.

He also mentioned he appreciated Damon contacting him directly about declining the role in Avatar because of scheduling conflicts.

Cameron expressed his respect for Matt and said he’d be open to collaborating with him in the future. However, he clarified that they never actually worked together, explaining it was due to a combination of unrelated circumstances.

Daily Mail has reached out to Damon’s reps for comment, but did not immediately hear back. 

Released in 2009, Avatar featured Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sigourney Weaver in leading roles.

The science fiction film cost approximately $237 million to make and proved to be a huge commercial hit, earning $2.9 billion worldwide.

Avatar wasn’t just a hit – it became the highest-grossing film ever made. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, was released in 2022.

Damon has said he regrets not appearing in a movie directed by Cameron, calling it one of his biggest disappointments.

Jim Cameron approached me about doing Avatar. He specifically told me he wasn’t looking for a big name actor – he didn’t need anyone famous for the role, according to an interview with British GQ.

Damon said Cameron told him, “If you turn down the role, I’ll find another actor to play it, because frankly, the movie doesn’t depend on you. But if you accept, I’ll give you 10 percent of the film’s profits.”

Damon also expressed regret over possibly not having the opportunity to ever work with Cameron. 

He doesn’t make movies very often, but because his films are so well-known, it seems like he’s created a much larger body of work than he actually has.

The actor explained that turning down the opportunity likely meant he’d never get to work with that person again, which was really tough. Ultimately, though, he’s managing and his family is provided for.

And then in 2023, Damon once again discussed the topic while talking to Entertainment Tonight. 

Saldana also spoke to him then, reassuring him that his career hadn’t been negatively affected. She said, ‘Trust me, it didn’t hurt your career.’

You know, someone was just asking me what a movie with me in it would have been like, and it got me thinking! Damon was playfully wondering what kind of film it would’ve turned out to be if he’d been cast. It’s funny to imagine, isn’t it?

I’ve been a huge fan of this actor for years, and I recently read something he said that really struck me. He mentioned he’s worked on around fifty films, which is incredible, but surprisingly, he’s never been in a movie that actually reached a billion dollars at the box office. It’s wild to think about, considering his extensive career!

Damon has had a successful acting career, appearing in many films including Good Will Hunting (1997). He and his friend Ben Affleck even won an Academy Award for the film’s original screenplay.

He’s also been in the Jason Bourne movies, which have collectively earned about $1.6 billion worldwide across five films.

In 2015, Matt Damon starred in The Martian, a performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

Over his career, Matt Damon has appeared in several acclaimed films, including Saving Private Ryan (1998), True Grit (2010), Ford v Ferrari (2019), and Oppenheimer (2023). He’s also set to star in Christopher Nolan’s next big movie, The Odyssey.

The new film, Avatar: Fire And Ash, reportedly cost over $400 million to make and earned $345 million worldwide during its opening weekend, according to the studio.

This is the second-highest-grossing global opening of the year, and it suggests Cameron’s film is on track to break even more box office records.

Sixteen years into the Avatar saga, Pandora is still abundant in box-office riches.

The latest installment in Cameron’s sci-fi series, Fire and Ash, debuted with $88 million in the US and $257 million worldwide. Only one movie earned more at the box office this year: Zootopia 2, which grossed $497.2 million in its opening weekend.

Worthington, Saldana, Weaver, and Lang are back in their familiar roles, joined by returning cast members including Kate Winslet, Oona Chaplin, and Cliff Curtis.

Two more books will continue the story after “Fire And Ash,” with releases planned for 2029 and 2031.

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2025-12-23 23:05