In a candid interview, renowned filmmaker James Cameron has revealed his decision to permanently relocate from the United States to New Zealand, citing the country’s effective handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as the primary catalyst. The director, known for his groundbreaking work on blockbusters such as Avatar, has described the US under former President Donald Trump’s second term as “like watching a car crash over and over.”
Speaking to Stuff, a New Zealand-based news outlet, Cameron expressed his disillusionment with the polarised political landscape and the country’s apparent rejection of scientific evidence. “Where would you rather live?” he asked. “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 throat, extremely polarised, turning its back on science and basically would be in utter disarray if another pandemic appears.”
The director, who has purchased a farm in New Zealand and is on the cusp of obtaining citizenship, praised the country’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, noting that they had successfully eliminated the virus on multiple occasions. “New Zealand had eliminated the virus completely,” he said. “They actually eliminated the virus twice. The third time, when it showed up in a mutated form, it broke through. But fortunately, they already had a 98% vaccination rate.”
Cameron’s decision to relocate is part of a growing trend among high-profile figures in the film industry, with the likes of George Clooney, Jim Jarmusch, and Ellen DeGeneres also seeking refuge in countries such as France, the UK, and Ireland. The director’s candid remarks highlight the deep divisions and societal challenges that have plagued the United States in recent years, prompting some to seek a more harmonious and science-driven environment abroad.
As Cameron prepares to embark on his new life in New Zealand, he expressed his eagerness to become a citizen of a country where, in his words, “people are, for the most part, sane.” His decision underscores the significant impact that political and social upheaval can have on the lives of prominent individuals, as they seek to find a sense of stability and belonging in a world that often seems to be at odds with their values and beliefs.
