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James Cameron explains why he chose New Zealand over 'polarized' America that turned 'its back on science'
By Joshua Nelson
Published January 23, 2026
Filmmaker James Cameron said in a new interview that the U.S. rejection of science and vaccines after the COVID-19 pandemic drove him to move to New Zealand.
In an interview on the "In Depth with Graham Bensinger" podcast, Cameron discussed his reason for relocating permanently to New Zealand, where he both lives and spent years working on the "Avatar" movies.
Bensinger noted that the United States is "a fantastic place to live," prompting Cameron to ask, "Is it?"
"But New Zealand is just stunningly beautiful," Bensinger said.
James Cameron has been a frequent critic of President Donald Trump. (Getty Images)
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"I’m not there for scenery. I’m there for the sanity," Cameron replied.
Cameron said the U.S.' handling of the coronavirus pandemic revealed that many were skeptical of science and lacked unity in a common cause.
"After the pandemic hit … [New Zealand] had eliminated the virus completely," Cameron said. "They actually eliminated the virus twice. The third time, when it showed up in a mutated form, it broke through.
"But, fortunately, they already had a 98% vaccination rate. This is why I love New Zealand. People there are, for the most part, sane as opposed to the United States, where you had a 62% vaccination rate, and that’s going down — going the wrong direction."
The coronavirus pandemic struck the world during President Donald Trump’s first term in office in 2020, leading to millions of deaths, including more than 1 million in the U.S.
Filmmaker James Cameron speaks alongside actress Sigourney Weaver. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios)
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"Are you kidding me? Where would you rather live?" Cameron said. "A place that actually believes in science and is sane and where people can work together cohesively to a common goal, 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 did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Cameron, best known for directing movies like "The Terminator," "Titanic" and "Avatar," has been a frequent Trump critic.
The Oscar-winning director recently criticized the Trump administration’s decision to roll back environmental protections, calling the commander in chief the "most narcissistic a------ in history since f------ Nero." He argued the White House is helping to send the human race "backwards."
Cameron also told New Zealand outlet Stuff in January he found the president’s re-election "horrifying."
Hollywood stars have repeatedly threatened to leave the country because of President Donald Trump. (Getty Images)
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