James Cameron criticises US amid move to New Zealand: "I’m not there for scenery, I’m there for the sanity"

James Cameron has spoken candidly about his decision to leave the United States and settle in New Zealand, citing concerns over public health, political division and attitudes towards science.

The Oscar-winning director made the remarks during a recent appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, where he reflected on his experiences during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Explaining his move, Cameron said New Zealand’s response to the pandemic played a decisive role. “After the pandemic hit… [New Zealand] had eliminated the virus completely,” he said, noting that the country achieved this outcome twice before a later mutation broke through. He added that New Zealand’s vaccination rate reached 98%, contrasting it with the United States, where he said uptake stalled at around 62%. “This is why I love New Zealand,” Cameron said. “People there are, for the most part, sane as opposed to the United States.”

The filmmaker questioned where people would prefer to live, asking: “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.”

When Bensinger suggested the United States remained “a fantastic place to live”, Cameron responded by asking: “Is it?” Although New Zealand’s natural beauty was mentioned, Cameron emphasised that scenery was not his motivation, saying: “I’m not there for scenery, I’m there for the sanity.”

Cameron has previously revealed that his New Zealand citizenship was “imminent” and has criticised the political climate in the US under Donald Trump. He said he feels “safer” living abroad and welcomed being removed from the intensity of American news coverage, describing it as “inescapable”.

The director has spent much of the past decade in New Zealand working on the Avatar films, and said he values the country’s sense of social equality and respect, which he wanted his children to experience.