Exes James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow Praise Each Other in Interview 35 Years After Their Divorce
- - Exes James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow Praise Each Other in Interview 35 Years After Their Divorce
Rachel RaposasJanuary 14, 2026 at 1:31 AM
0
Michael Buckner/WireImage
James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow. -
James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow have nothing but respect for each other, 35 years after their divorce
The directors were married from 1989 to 1991, but have collaborated professionally and advised each other on projects multiple times since
"We love working together," Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter
It's been decades since James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow's divorce, but their respect for each other remains strong.
The Oscar-winning directors took part in a Hollywood Reporter roundtable discussion with four other filmmakers: Ryan Coogler, Yorgos Lanthimos, Joachim Trier and Chloé Zhao.
Avatar: Fire and Ash director Cameron, 79, and House of Dynamite director Bigelow, 74, married in 1989 and divorced three years later in 1991.
"We were married longer ago than half our lives," said Cameron, who wed wife Suzy Amis in 2000.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow.
The two directors have collaborated multiple times, including on Blue Steel in 1990 and Point Break the following year. Despite their split, Cameron and Bigelow teamed up for Strange Days, which debuted in 1995.
"We love working together," Cameron said during the THR group interview.
When asked about what each has learned from the other over the years, Cameron focused on Bigelow's authenticity as a filmmaker.
"Kathryn cannot do anything that’s not authentic," he said. "I think it’s evolved to not be about pushing away that which is commercial; it’s figuring out what’s real in the world and then running that through her lens. And I look for that in my own work."
"Oh, that’s very kind of you, thank you," Bigelow replied, before sharing her favorite part of Cameron's work.
"I think the desire to just reach as far as you possibly can — that really comes from Jim, a reach that seems both improbable and impossible and yet is doable," she said, as Cameron added, "You do it."
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty
James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow.
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The former couple's shared profession has brought them together repeatedly in the years since their divorce, perhaps most notably in 2010, when Cameron and Bigelow were both nominated for Oscars for Best Director — for Avatar and The Hurt Locker, respectively. Bigelow came away with the honor, making her the first woman director to win that Oscar.
“I was the first one on my feet applauding,” Cameron told The New York Times in December 2025, also noting that he and Bigelow still consult each other on projects, and that he considers her a "remarkable person."
He added, "Kathryn and I thought the whole meta-narrative around us was pretty funny. I was a little concerned that it would just take away from her credibility as a filmmaker. It started to turn into a conversation that wasn’t about her film, and that bothered both of us.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
