James Cameron criticized the U.S. for rejecting science and vaccines, explaining why the filmmaker relocated to New Zealand for \u00ab\u00a0sanity\u00a0\u00bb over scenery.<\/b>
\nFilmmaker 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 \u00ab\u00a0In Depth with Graham Bensinger\u00a0\u00bb podcast, Cameron discussed his reason for relocating permanently to New Zealand, where he both lives and spent years working on the \u00ab\u00a0Avatar\u00a0\u00bb movies.
Bensinger noted that the United States is \u00ab\u00a0a fantastic place to live\u00a0\u00bb, prompting Cameron to ask, \u00ab\u00a0Is it?\u00a0\u00bb
\u00ab\u00a0But New Zealand is just stunningly beautiful\u00a0\u00bb, Bensinger said.
\u00ab\u00a0I\u2019m not there for scenery. I\u2019m there for the sanity\u00a0\u00bb, 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.
\u00ab\u00a0After the pandemic hit \u2026 [New Zealand] had eliminated the virus completely\u00a0\u00bb, Cameron said. \u00ab\u00a0They actually eliminated the virus twice. The third time, when it showed up in a mutated form, it broke through.
\u00ab\u00a0But, 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\u2019s going down \u2014 going the wrong direction.\u00a0\u00bb
The coronavirus pandemic struck the world during President Donald Trump\u2019s first term in office in 2020, leading to millions of deaths, including more than 1 million in the U.S.
\u00ab\u00a0Are you kidding me? Where would you rather live?\u00a0\u00bb Cameron said. \u00ab\u00a0A 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\u2019s at each other\u2019s throats, extremely polarized, turning its back on science and basically would be in utter disarray if another pandemic appears.\u00a0\u00bb
Cameron did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Cameron, best known for directing movies like \u00ab\u00a0The Terminator\u00a0\u00bb, \u00ab\u00a0Titanic\u00a0\u00bb and \u00ab\u00a0Avatar\u00a0\u00bb, has been a frequent Trump critic.
The Oscar-winning director recently criticized the Trump administration\u2019s decision to roll back environmental protections, calling the commander in chief the \u00ab\u00a0most narcissistic a—— in history since f—— Nero.\u00a0\u00bb He argued the White House is helping to send the human race \u00ab\u00a0backwards.\u00a0\u00bb
Cameron also told New Zealand outlet Stuff in January he found the president\u2019s re-election \u00ab\u00a0horrifying.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n