James Cameron says he moved to New Zealand for 'sanity', not the scenery

‘Avatar’ filmmaker James Cameron admits he didn’t move to Aotearoa for the scenery - he moved here for the “sanity.”

Cameron officially moved to New Zealand in 2020, though he’s owned over 1,500 hectares in South Wairarapa since 2012, and became a Kiwi citizen in 2025.

He first visited Christchurch back in 1994 on a trip to the South Pole. With flights grounded, he ended up falling in love with our little corner of the world.

“I made myself a promise - I’m gonna come live here someday,” he recalled on the 'In Depth' podcast with Graham Bensinger.

He even told his wife, Suzy Amis Cameron, early on that he planned to relocate after “falling in love with the country, the scenery, the people, the kind of way of life there.”

Cameron says it was New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 that really sealed the deal.

“New Zealand had eliminated the virus completely. They actually eliminated it twice. The third time, when a mutated version showed up, it broke through,” he said.

“This is what I love about New Zealand - people, for the most part, are sane, as opposed to the United States. Where would you rather live? A place that actually believes in science and works together toward a common goal, or a place where everyone’s at each other’s throats, polarised…?”

In a 1News interview with John Campbell in 2024, Cameron confirmed Wellington is home.

“I love this city, you know, I love being a Wellingtonian,” he said.

He added that locals respect his space. “They’d be mortified to be rude and intrude on my day or ask for a picture - it’s cool, it’s like a big small town.”

Cameron recently celebrated the release of 'Avatar 3: Fire and Ash' and caught up with Robert Rakete, reflecting on his love for Aotearoa.

“It’s a place I’ve wanted to live for years and years… because of the values system here. It’s about being honest, being direct, being egalitarian. I walk into a room, and people don’t respect me because of how much money I have - I’ve got to earn their respect.”

His love for New Zealand is clear, and now, officially a Kiwi, he’s one of ours.