James Cameron says US is polarized and praises living in New Zealand

Filmmaker James Cameron told an interview he moved to New Zealand for his "sanity" and praised its high COVID-19 vaccination rates while criticizing U.S. polarization; a CDC report noted just over 17% of U.S. adults had the 2025-26 COVID shot as of Jan. 16.

James Cameron, director of Avatar: Fire and Ash, discussed his choice to live in New Zealand and his views on the U.S. response to COVID-19 during an interview with Graham Bensinger. He said he and his family made the move permanent after logistical problems during the pandemic and described New Zealand as a place of "sanity." Cameron praised New Zealand's vaccination environment and contrasted it with what he described as polarization in the United States. An interview clip was released Jan. 21 and the full conversation debuts in syndication over the Jan. 24 weekend. Key points: - Cameron said he moved to New Zealand for his "sanity" and that he and his family made the move permanent around August 2021. - He praised New Zealand's vaccination situation and contrasted it with what he described as a polarized U.S. response to the virus. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that a little more than 17% of U.S. adults had received the 2025-26 COVID-19 shot as of Jan. 16. - A clip of the interview was released Jan. 21 and the full discussion was scheduled to air in syndication the weekend of Jan. 24. Summary: Cameron's remarks underline his personal reasons for relocating to New Zealand and his view of differences between the two countries' approaches to public health and social cohesion. The interview clip was released Jan. 21 and the full conversation was set to air in syndication over the Jan. 24 weekend.