James Cameron Shares Why He Chose New Zealand Over the US After Criticizing Trump

James Cameron has credited New Zealand’s adept handling of the COVID-19 crisis as a driving force behind his decision to relocate there. The esteemed director, originally from Ontario, Canada, shared these insights during an interview on In Depth with Graham Bensinger.

At 71, the visionary filmmaker expressed that New Zealand’s effective pandemic response convinced him of the country’s stability compared to the United States. “Where would you rather live?” Cameron pondered. He praised New Zealand as a place that values science and promotes unity toward a common goal, contrasting it with the divisiveness and skepticism he perceives in the U.S.

Known for helming cinematic juggernauts like Titanic, The Terminator, Avatar, and Aliens, Cameron highlighted New Zealand’s success in eradicating the virus not once, but twice. He acknowledged, however, that a third wave emerged with a mutated strain that managed to break through the country’s defenses.

‘Or a place where everybody’s at each other’s throats, extremely polarized, turning its back on science and basically would be in utter disarray if another pandemic appears.’

Cameron, who has directed cinematic blockbusters such as Titanic, The Terminator, Avatar and Aliens, said that ‘New Zealand had eliminated the virus completely’ on two occasions until a ‘third time when it showed up in a mutated form’ and ‘broke through.’

In the interview, Cameron said that by the time the dangerous strain of coronavirus had spread across New Zealand, the population ‘already had a 98 percent vaccination rate’ – more than 36 percent higher than in the states.

James Cameron, 71, says his move to New Zealand was tied to the country’s competence in conquering COVID-19 

‘This is why I love New Zealand,’ Cameron said. ‘People there are, for the most part, sane as opposed to the United States where you had a 62 percent vaccination rate, and that’s going down – going the wrong direction.’

At one point in the exchange, Bensinger called the U.S. ‘a fantastic place to live’ to which Cameron asked, ‘Is it?’

When Bensinger referenced the stunning nature in New Zealand, Cameron responded, ‘I’m not there for scenery; I’m there for the sanity.’

Cameron said that he initially flirted with the idea of moving to New Zealand in 1994 after a visit left him enchanted with the nation and its populace, who he ‘just really fell in love with.’

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

Cameron said that he and his spouse Suzy, 64, had past explored the topic and she had always been amenable to the idea of moving.

‘When Suzy and I were first getting serious, she said, “Fine, no problem” – she was game,’ Cameron said.

Cameron said that while he and his spouse owned properties in Southern California, they always kept an eye on New Zealand, and finally went ahead with the plan after Avatar’s release.

The Oscar-winner described the current US as ‘a place where everybody’s at each other’s throats, extremely polarized, turning its back on science’

President Donald Trump pictured at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Said the filmmaker: ‘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.”‘

An admittedly ‘frustrated’ Cameron last month slammed Trump and his administration for its environmental policies.

Cameron called the president ‘most narcissistic a**hole in history since f***ing Nero,’ adding, ‘Yeah, you can quote that.’

Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter, ‘I’m frustrated because the human race seems to be delusional about what they think is going to happen next. 

‘We are going backwards.’

Cameron last year said he found Trump’s re-election in 2024 to be ‘a turn away from everything decent’ while appearing on he F#$%ing News with Paddy Gower podcast.