Legendary filmmaker James Cameron has for the first time publicly criticized a joke Amy Poehler made about him during the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, calling it an “ignorant dig” that “went too far.”
At the ceremony, Poehler — co-hosting with Tina Fey — quipped about director Kathryn Bigelow, who was nominated for Zero Dark Thirty, saying:
“When it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spent three years married to James Cameron.”
The joke played on Bigelow’s film’s controversial depiction of torture and Cameron’s past marriage to her (they were married from 1989 to 1991).
While the audience reacted with laughter at the time, Cameron says he did not find it humorous.
In a recent interview, the Titanic and Avatar director said the comment went beyond good-natured humor and detracted from what should be a celebration of filmmaking.
“I’m pretty thick-skinned and happy to be the butt of a good-natured joke, but that went too far,” he told The New York Times — adding that the audience’s reaction reflected misconceptions about him despite not truly knowing his work or character.
Cameron also reflected on Hollywood narratives that once pitted him against Bigelow during awards seasons — most notably when Avatar competed with her Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker — and stressed his respect for her achievements.
The discussion comes as Cameron’s Avatar franchise continues with its latest installment in cinemas, and it highlights how even years-old moments can resonate differently in hindsight.
If you’d like, I can also provide Amy Poehler’s response or more background on the original joke.
