James Cameron has spoken out about a joke Amy Poehler made at his expense more than a decade ago.
The Canadian filmmaker spoke about this moment in a recent interview with The New York Timesin which she reflects on Poehler’s 2013 Golden Globes monologue, in which she referenced Cameron’s former marriage to director Kathryn Bigelow.
While joking about the controversy surrounding it Zero Dark ThirtyPoehler told the audience that she trusted Bigelow on torture because she was married to Cameron for three years.
Cameron now says the comment crossed a line.
“I have pretty thick skin and am happy to be the butt of a good-natured joke, but that went too far,” he complained, calling the specific comment an “ignorant dig” that felt out of place at an awards ceremony meant to celebrate filmmakers and their work.
He added that what stung most was the audience’s reaction, as their laughter reflected assumptions about him made by people who don’t know him personally or professionally.
“The fact that people found it funny shows exactly how they feel about me, even though they have no idea who I am or how I work,” he said.
The director, now 71, has been married five times. His previous marriages include unions with Sharon Williams, producer Gale Anne Hurd, director Kathryn Bigelow and actress Linda Hamilton. He married Suzy Amis in 2000, and the couple remained together with three children.
