James Cameron has criticised Amy Poehler for a joke she made at the 2013 Golden Globes about his marriage to Kathryn Bigelow, describing it as an 'ignorant dig' that 'went too far'. The remark, made during Poehler's opening monologue with co-host Tina Fey, referenced the controversy surrounding Bigelow's film 'Zero Dark Thirty' and its depiction of torture.
Poehler quipped: 'When it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spent three years married to James Cameron.' The audience reacted with visible shock, including Jessica Chastain, star of 'Zero Dark Thirty', who was seen with her jaw dropped. Cameron, speaking to The New York Times, said the joke was inappropriate for an event meant to celebrate cinema.
'Amy Poehler's remark was an ignorant dig, at an event which is supposed to be a celebration of cinema and filmmakers, not a roast,' Cameron said. 'I'm pretty thick-skinned, and happy to be the butt of a good-natured joke, but that went too far. 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.'
Cameron also reflected on the media narrative that pitted him against Bigelow during the 2009-2010 awards season, when 'Avatar' and 'The Hurt Locker' competed. Bigelow won the Oscar for best director, and Cameron said he was 'the first one on my feet applauding'. He added that both he and Bigelow found the rivalry narrative amusing but were concerned it detracted from her credibility.
Cameron and Bigelow were married from 1989 to 1991. Their professional collaboration included Cameron developing and executive producing Bigelow's 1991 film 'Point Break' and co-writing her 1995 thriller 'Strange Days'. Recently, Cameron claimed he deserved full screenwriting credit for 'Point Break', a statement disputed by credited writer W. Peter Iliff.
