James Cameron leaving Trump's U.S., calls it 'horrifying'
By: By Rachel Goodman - Canada's Global News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
James Cameron leaving Trump's U.S., calls it 'horrifying'
US Director James Cameron stands on the set of the movie "Titanic" which was nominated14 Academy Awards. MERIE WALLACE / AFP
Academy Award-winning film director James Cameron says his New Zealand citizenship is "imminent" and is hinting at plans to relocate to the country permanently to escape Donald Trump's second term in the White House.
Cameron, a Canadian born in Kapuskasing, Ont., and well-known for his slate of blockbuster movies including Titanic and Avatar , told New Zealand news outlet Stuff that he intends to make his farm in South Wairarapa his family's primary residence.
The film director, already a resident of New Zealand, has owned the 1,000-hectare dairy farm since 2012. He also has a history of professional ties to the island nation, having collaborated with Wellington-based visual effects studio Weta Visual on Avatar , for which it was awarded an Oscar.
According to the Guardian, Cameron has long been vocal about his plans to live in New Zealand and Trump's current presidency, which he described as "horrifying" and "like watching a car crash over and over again," acted as a recent catalyst.
"I see it as a turn away from everything decent," he said of the Trump administration. "America doesn't stand for anything if it doesn't stand for what it has historically stood for. It becomes a hollow idea, and I think they're hollowing it out as fast as they can for their own benefit."
While Cameron says he doesn't necessarily feel any safer in New Zealand than in the U.S., he prefers the way the country's reporting operates, saying that it provides a welcome escape from America's Trump-heavy news cycle.
"There's something nice about the New Zealand outlets — at least they'll put it [Trump stories] on page three.… I just don't want to see that guy's face any more, on the front page of the paper," he explained. Trending Now
The film industry veteran's Kiwi citizenship is close to being finalized, which he says "means a lot," adding that it is something he has worked hard and made sacrifices for and that he believes it is important to earn one's standing in a country before calling it home.
Despite no longer residing in Canada, Cameron drew parallels between the personalities and values of Canadians and New Zealanders.
"I grew up in Canada, and I see a lot of similarities here in the way people behave. I actually like it here a little better. There's an innate respect and a demand for respect. Everybody has this kind of equal status in terms of personhood. And I love that — that's what I wanted my kids to experience," he said.
Meanwhile, social media users have been responding to the news of the filmmaker's imminent move to the Southern Hemisphere.
"If filmmakers focused on storytelling and craft as much as they do on Donald Trump, movies might still be watchable. Alas…," one X user commented.
"I feel you James," another person wrote.
"If I had his money I'd do the same. This country is a disaster," another responded.
In 2023, Cameron expressed plans to produce all his future projects in New Zealand and to hire local talent and cultivate the country's film industry.
"I love working here. I love the people that I get to work with here," he said.
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I don't blame him. Many years ago I thought that if I were ever to choose another country to move to I would have chosen New Zealand myself. However, a few days ago one of our Australian members told me it isn't the paradise I once thought it was. I was a bit surprised that he wasn't going to move back to Canada, his home country, but the article pointed out that he already has a big cattle ranch and people he wanted to work with in NZ.
He is hinting at plans to relocate?
Let me know when the scumbag actually does it.
LOL. James Cameron is a "scumbag" because he doesn't worship your heroes and doesn't want to live in a place that they control? Does that make me a "scumbag" as well?
He is a scumbag because he claims he will do something we all know he won't.
Remember it is never about members.
Well, I'm unable to make such a prediction - I don't have a crystal ball.
Well, there's a famous saying by a great Yogi master:
Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.
Is that the same guy who said "When you come to a fork in the road, take it"?
Yes!
Also so many more...for example:
That place has gotten so crowded no one goes there anymore . . .
If I had a nickel for every person who claimed they'd do something (but never did it)...well, I'd have an awful lot of Nickles!
(And with the price of Eggs being what it is...perhaps I should ask for $5 bills!)
This may be a bit off-topic, but since you mentioned it-- did you know you can buy a Crystal Ball on Amazon? (I looked at a few-- but none came with guarentees that they actually worked
)
Sometimes I actually experience premonitions that then happen, such as when I play solitaire to keep my mind alive, I predict the next card and it shows up. What I can't seem to get right is the next lottery number.
Interestingly, while the odds in your favor with the cards aren't great, they're not too bad. The odds in the lottery are horrendous-- itss one of the worst forms of gambling. (Another place where the odds are pretty bad is horse-racing). Supposedly the best odds are in Twenty-one (Blackjack).
I;m not much of a gambler-- I don't go for big risks. (That's why Iseekrelative safety and put money into the Stock Market).
I don't remember if I mentioned this, but I took a course in developing psychic abilities. Some people are inherently more psychic than others, but with training it can be improved.
Nor was my father, and nor was I. He once told me that the worst thing that can happen to you is to go to the horseraces for the first time, place a bet and win . Then you're hooked. I didn't adapt that advice to the first time I went to Las Vegas. I bought some one dollar tokens to use in the slot machines, and the very first time I used a slot machine I put in a token and won 100 tokens. That did it. After a while I was sitting between two machines using both hands to play them simultaneously. A casino staff member saw what I was doing and gave me a VIP card. But the really sad story about Vegas was that I was leaving and down to my last $100 chip to gamble with, called my wife back in Toronto and asked what she thought I should do. She said to go to the roulette table and put it on number 18 (a lucky number) so I went there and saw so many chips on 18 there was no room to put mine. Guess what number came up? 18. I would have taken home $3000. Now you know why my wife used to call me Hamlet - because I think too precisely upon the event.
Arvo...well Cameron maybe jumping from the fat into the fire..
NZ headlines..
NZ PM Luxon says he trusts Donald Trump even in the wake of the oval office fiasco...
Yep well good luck with him living in the Land of the Long White Cloud...and if he is expecting not to see Trump's face in the NZ headlines he really is mistaken..
Antarctica maybe a better choice..
I was not too familiar with Cameron. But I just googled him. Wow-- what a talented guy! And he has such varied interests!
Talented, and successful.
Buzz
Does this mean he will also not release any more movies in the U.S.?
I agree with his disgust at the goings on of late, but unless he is willing to completely cut ties with U.S. this is taking advantage of a public persona to make a political statement.
A lot of people were leaving because Trump got elected in 2016 and few of them did, some have even vowed to do it again but maintain their mansions and millionaire life style in the U.S..
First of all, it's not as if he didn't already HAVE a home in NZ so is he really "moving" away from what I bet is quite a nice home in California. He just wants to live in a country that isn't controlled by a multi-billionaire Robespierre and his poodle, a megalomaniac reality show actor. And maybe the statements he made are not only what he personally feels (and I would feel the same way) but he is able to make a well circulated point about it.
Buzz
Without the histrionics, (you may have insulted Robespierre and poodles everywhere with your comment) I agree and it is right to leave
But if he can't stand to live here, perhaps he shouldn't make his living here.
I am just so frigging tired of Hollywood idiots wanting to make themselves important shouting to the heavens that if this happens or that happens they are leaving and then they stay.
All they want is camera time
This country over time has needed it people, its leaders, its soldiers and its friends but this country has never needed movie stars or directors - they are of public importance only in their own minds.
Thank you for your opinion and loyalty to your country. I had been told that America was the land of opportunity and at least at one time legal immigrants were welcome.
Now that I think of it, how can he be Robespierre and Marie Antoinette at the same time? Actually, that's quite an accomplishment.
And Counselor, "LEGAL IMMIGRANTS" are welcome - per the U.S.Constitution and various Fed laws.
It's the ILLEGAL ALIENS who are NOT welcome - per the U.S. Constitution and various Fed laws.
Yes, 1st, I understand, but what about the American-born children of Illegal immigrants. and those who are not getting their applications processed yet?
A process made even more difficult by the firing of immigration judges.
but this country has never needed movie stars or directors - they are of public importance only in their own minds.
That's true in many cases, but there are some fans who think some of them are absolutely wonderful.
(I personally think its absurd when I see a commercial for some product-- endorsed by a celebrity. And then some folks rush out to buy it!)
You would think that those kinds of people are the same ones who votes for a representative who has no interest whatsoever in the voters' welfare.
I think you are right.
Unfortunately it seems those people are in the majority,
I remember a few examples.
During the War Against Viet-Nam, some Americans crossed the border into Canada to avoid the draft. (In fact I had a friend who did that--- stayed in touch for a while, but after a while lost touch)
They left the U.S. to avoid war-- but there's another example that happened long before that I only read about-- Americans crossing into Canada to participate in a war!
During WWII (before Pearl Harbour) the U.S. was strongly neutral, But some Americans strongly opposed Hitler, and in fact wanted to take action. So they crossed into Canada to volunteer!
Another example-- but this one in Europe. Apparently many Russians really didn't want to join Putin's was on the Ukraine, so apparently many Russian men of draft age left Russia...
(And of course there are some people from various countries who wanted to personally support Ulraine, so they went there and joined the fighting.)
And some people move to other countries to change citizenships, for economic reasons (often to avoid high taxes), or to avoid prosectution for a crime. Or retirees, often from the U.S., that find the U.S. to be too expensive-- so they move elsewhere.
Some with children move because they fear all the gun violence in schools.
Finally, I'm thinking about the more complicated case of French actor Gérard Depardieu. (rather complicated so I'm not going to post all the details here!)
And i'm sure other people on NT can think of other examples...
I knew quite a few of them, some became good friends, and I created a successful small business in Toronto with two of them as my partners, which I eventually turned over to them.
My son obtained an excellent position in America that was not then available in Canada so he moved there and now has dual citizenship. However, I fear for the safety of my grandchildren all of whom are of school age.
When II think of those who fled to avoid serving I also think of
IMO the MAIN reason why that was a war that America should never have got itself involved in.
Strange, someone else commented and by the time I posted my reply to Robert the comment had disappeared. Guess he lost his nerve, but I don't blame him. I saw who it was so I can imagine what he posted..
No one should fear you, you are always willing to discuss issues
I feel the same way about you.
Oh no!!!! A hollywood circus monkey it threatening to leave the country!!!! Oh the horror!!!!!! Somebody is desperate for attention.
Is his leaving supposed to mean something? I mean, other than he can't deal with reality.
We see MAGA gleeful at the prospect of Ukraine's suffering. We see MAGA advocate for undoing marriages, adoptions and reproductive rights of regular Americans. The meanness of MAGA is on display!
MAGA MADNESS!
Bye Felicia.
???