James Cameron has expressed displeasure with Amy Poehler over a joke she made at the 2013 Golden Globes, which he believes ‘crossed a line.’
During a recent interview with the New York Times, the director of Avatar: Fire and Ash opened up about his career and his reputation for being a perfectionist.
He did not hesitate to criticize comedian Poehler for her ‘ignorant’ remark regarding his brief marriage to fellow director Kathryn Bigelow.
The pair began their relationship in 1988 and tied the knot on August 17, 1989.
The reasons behind their divorce in 1991 remain private, but Cameron and Bigelow continued to work together professionally, including on the 1995 science fiction thriller Strange Days.
At the 2013 Golden Globes, Bigelow was nominated for Best Director for her work on Zero Dark Thirty.
The movie centers around a decade-long CIA mission to track down al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the September 11 attacks.
Zero Dark Thirty sparked controversy due to its portrayal of CIA interrogation techniques, with critics suggesting the film implied that torture was instrumental in finding Osama bin Laden—a claim contested by U.S. officials and human rights organizations.
“I haven’t really been following the controversy over Zero Dark Thirty,” Poehler stated. “But when it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spent three years married to James Cameron.”
The acclaimed filmmaker remained silent about the comment at the time, but addressed it during his interview with the NYT.
“I’m pretty thick-skinned, and happy to be the butt of a good-natured joke, but that went too far,” Cameron remarked, particularly as the comment was made ‘at an event which is supposed to be a celebration of cinema and filmmakers, not a roast.’
What hurt the most was that the audience, which included many of his peers and colleagues, found it amusing.
“The fact that people found it funny shows exactly what they think of me, even though they have no idea who I am or how I work,” he stated.
Amy Poehler’s representatives have been contacted for comment.