James Cameron Reveals Why He Prefers new Zealand’s ‘Sanity’ to the U.S.
Table of Contents
The filmmaker cited New zealand’s high vaccination rate and cohesive approach to public health as reasons for choosing to film there.
- Director James Cameron expressed a preference for New Zealand’s response to the pandemic.
- He contrasted New Zealand’s 98% vaccination rate wiht the United States’ 62% rate.
- Cameron highlighted the importance of a “sane” and science-based approach to collective challenges.
- The filmmaker initially planned to base production in the U.S. but adjusted plans after starting a family.
Filmmaker James Cameron is openly questioning where he’d rather live, and the United States isn’t winning that debate. The Avatar director recently explained his preference for New Zealand, citing the country’s commitment to science and public health as key factors. This revelation came during a conversation where the director openly contrasted the two nations’ approaches to the pandemic.
A Change of Plans
Cameron initially envisioned a different scenario. “Now, later, we have children, we have a family, we’ve got roots in Malibu and Santa Barbara, that conversation had to be amended slightly, but we did say after Avatar, let’s make this happen,” he said, referring to a previous plan to establish a production base in the U.S.
however, the global health crisis shifted his outlook. Cameron noted that New Zealand had “eliminated the virus completely twice” before a mutated strain emerged. Crucially, he added, “fortunately, they already had a 98% vaccination rate.This is why I love New Zealand. People there are, for the most part, sane as opposed to the United States, where you had a 62% vaccination rate, and that’s going down – going the wrong direction.”
‘where Would You Rather Live?’
The director didn’t shy away from posing a direct question: “Where would you rather live?” He elaborated, “A place that actually believes in science and is sane, and where people can work together cohesively to a common goal? Or a place where everybody’s at each other’s throats, extremely polarised, turning its back on science and basically would be in utter disarray if another pandemic appears.”
When a journalist suggested the U.S. was “a fantastic place to live,” Cameron responded with a pointed, “Is it?” He further clarified that his attraction to New Zealand wasn’t about the scenery, stating, “I’m not there for scenery, I’m there for the sanity.”
A History of Blockbusters
Cameron, known for directing iconic blockbusters including 1997’s Titanic and 1986’s Aliens, has increasingly focused his work in New Zealand.His comments underscore a growing debate about national responses to global challenges and the value of prioritizing scientific consensus.
