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- Why New Zealand became the family’s destination
- How the family planned and executed the relocation
- Family makeup: children and blended households
- Career context: finishing Avatar while preparing to move
- Views on pandemic response and scientific trust
- Lifestyle shifts: sustainability and daily choices
James Cameron says a long-held promise, growing concern over public health in the U.S., and a desire for calmer family life pushed him to finally settle in New Zealand.
Why New Zealand became the family’s destination
The filmmaker decided years ago he wanted to live there. He quietly bought a farm more than a decade back and often traveled between homes.
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When the pandemic struck, the gap between intention and action closed. New Zealand’s early success in controlling the virus and high vaccination rates accelerated the move.
- Public health stability: officials eliminated community spread multiple times.
- High vaccination uptake: local coverage was exceptionally strong.
- Quality of life: Cameron cited calm, cooperative communities.
How the family planned and executed the relocation
Cameron and his wife, Suzy, adjusted their plans as their family expanded. They agreed to relocate after major work milestones were met.
Key moments in the relocation timeline
- 1990s: Cameron meets Suzy while producing and filming Titanic.
- More than a decade ago: purchase of a New Zealand farm and regular visits.
- August 2020: decision to move as a family while finishing work on Avatar.
He emphasized the move was not about scenery alone. He called it a choice for sanity and family cohesion.
Family makeup: children and blended households
The Camerons built a blended family over many years.
- With Suzy, James has three children: Claire, Quinn, and Elizabeth.
- From an earlier marriage, he is also father to Josephine.
- Suzy brought a son, Jasper, from her prior marriage.
The couple married in 2000. Their shared priorities now include stable schooling and a quieter home life.
Career context: finishing Avatar while preparing to move
Cameron was wrapping work on Avatar: The Way of Water when the family committed to the move.
He balanced long-term film projects and research with increasing time on the New Zealand property.
- Extensive location and technical work kept him tied to production schedules.
- Yet the family aimed to shift residence without disrupting his creative commitments.
Views on pandemic response and scientific trust
Cameron contrasted New Zealand’s cohesive approach with what he sees as growing division in the U.S.
He noted that New Zealand had eliminated outbreaks more than once and reached a very high vaccination rate.
By contrast, he described U.S. vaccination coverage as lower and declining. He framed his move as choosing a society that embraces science.
“A place that believes in science,” he said, offers better prospects for collective action in future crises.
Lifestyle shifts: sustainability and daily choices
The director has placed sustainability at the center of his life.
- He adopted a plant-based diet.
- He works to reduce his carbon footprint.
- He favors living closer to nature and local communities.
These changes align with his broader goal to protect the environment while raising his family in a less frenetic setting.
