James Cameron Says He Has Left U.S., Praises New Zealand Pandemic Response

James Cameron said he has permanently relocated to New Zealand, citing its pandemic response and telling Stuff that his New Zealand citizenship is "imminent," according to interviews with Stuff and In Depth with Graham Bensinger.

Cameron said New Zealand eliminated COVID twice and achieved a 98% vaccination rate, and contrasted that with a 62% U.S. vaccination rate he described as "going the wrong direction," in a televised interview on In Depth with Graham Bensinger.

Cameron linked his move to concerns about U.S. politics under former President Donald Trump, saying in the Stuff interview that living in the U.S. under Trump felt "like watching a car crash over and over," comments that echo prior public critiques of Trump.

Film industry figures including George Clooney, Jim Jarmusch, Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell have also sought citizenship or relocated abroad, illustrating a broader trend among some celebrities, according to public statements and media reports.

Cameron said he and his wife Suzy Amis Cameron purchased a 12,000-acre farm in New Zealand in 2011 and decided after the pandemic to make the move permanent, and he signaled no immediate plans to return to live in the United States.