James Cameron Slams Amy Poehler’s Golden Globes Joke About His Marriage: “Went Too Far”

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James Cameron has criticized a joke Amy Poehler made at the 2013 Golden Globes about his marriage to director Kathryn Bigelow, describing it as a thoughtless and inappropriate remark that crossed the line.

I was really fascinated by a recent New York Times interview with the director of Avatar: Fire and Ash. He talked a lot about his career and how people see him in Hollywood, and it was a really insightful look into his journey.

During the awards show, Poehler made a playful joke about Kathryn Bigelow’s Best Director nomination, referencing Bigelow’s marriage to James Cameron by saying, “When it comes to torture, I trust the woman who was married to James Cameron for three years.”

Everyone was laughing, but I remember Cameron just being quiet. Later, he explained that the joke really bothered him – it just went too far. He said, and I totally get this, that even though he can usually take a joke, this one felt off, especially because it happened at something meant to celebrate movies and the people who make them, not tear them down.

Cameron was most upset by the audience’s reaction. He felt their laughter revealed their preconceived notions about him, despite not knowing anything about his work or who he is as a person.

Throughout his career, the director has been known as a perfectionist who pushes people hard. He once described the crew of his 1986 film Aliens as “lazy, insolent, and arrogant” in an interview with biographer Rebecca Keegan. The crew of his 1989 film The Abyss even jokingly made T-shirts saying, “You can’t scare me, I work for Jim Cameron,” showing how challenging he could be.

Even though James Cameron is often criticized, those who work with him frequently admire the qualities that draw criticism. Kate Winslet, who collaborated with him on both Titanic and Avatar: The Way of Water, explained in 2022 that Cameron won’t release a project until he’s completely satisfied with it, comparing him to a chef who wouldn’t serve a dish he wasn’t proud of. She called reading the script for the Avatar sequel a remarkably detailed and thorough experience, emphasizing his dedication to perfection.

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2025-12-23 11:44