James Cameron, the director of Avatar, has permanently relocated to New Zealand, citing the country's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and a desire for 'sanity'. Speaking to Stuff, Cameron said his New Zealand citizenship was 'imminent' and described living in the US under Donald Trump as 'like watching a car crash over and over'.
In an interview with In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Cameron said he made the move 'for his sanity'. He and his wife purchased a farm in New Zealand in 2011 and decided to make the move permanent after the pandemic. Cameron praised New Zealand's response, noting the country eliminated the virus twice and achieved a 98% vaccination rate, contrasting it with the US where vaccination rates were lower and declining.
Cameron said he preferred to live in a place that 'believes in science and is sane' rather than one that is 'extremely polarised' and 'turning its back on science'. He joins other celebrities leaving the US, including George Clooney, who recently gained French citizenship, and Ellen DeGeneres, who moved to the UK.
