During the awards show more than a decade ago, Poehler quipped while presenting that “when it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spent three years married to James Cameron,” alluding to Bigelow’s film Zero Dark Thirty and Cameron’s demanding reputation as a director.
At the time the remark drew laughs, but Cameron says the joke went too far and was insensitive.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Cameron described Poehler’s comment as an “ignorant dig” and said that while he can generally take a joke, this one crossed a line at an event meant to celebrate filmmakers rather than roast them.
He added that the reaction from the crowd revealed unfair assumptions about him despite many people knowing little about his personal character or work style.
Cameron, whose films like Titanic and the Avatar franchise have made him one of Hollywood’s most successful directors, also noted that he and Bigelow remain on good terms and support each other’s work, even after their divorce in the early 1990s.
The director’s remarks come as his latest Avatar sequel continues to draw attention, and serve as a reminder that old jokes—especially at the expense of someone’s personal life—can linger far longer than intended.
