After conquering the box office for decades, James Cameron now says his greatest lesson didn’t come from filmmaking; it came from marriage.
While promoting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash‘, the 71-year-old Oscar winner reflected on four divorces, one lasting relationship, and the realization that completely changed how he understands commitment.
The Failed Marriages That Forced James Cameron To Rethink Everything
Speaking on the ‘In Depth with Graham Bensinger‘ podcast, Cameron openly discussed his marital history and called marriage a “learned art.” The director has been married five times, and four of those marriages ended in under a year. “That’s a fact,” Cameron stated, noting how short those early relationships truly were.
At the time, he approached commitment very differently. He admitted he used to stay in relationships only as long as they felt rewarding. In his own words, his mindset was basically: “as long as this is still worth it… I’ll be in it.” Eventually, he realized that thinking made a long-term partnership impossible. Cameron believes those failures forced him to grow up emotionally.
Cameron’s first marriage was to Sharon Williams from 1978 to 1984, long before his global fame. Then came producer Gale Anne Hurd from 1985 to 1989, followed by filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow from 1989 to 1991. His fourth marriage was to actress Linda Hamilton from 1997 to 1999, after years of being together.
Looking back, he admitted he simply was not good at it. “There was always a long sort of decay curve through separation and divorce, but actively married, cohabitating for one year, four times, so I wasn’t very good at it,” he said.
He also acknowledged that love alone was not enough. “I fall in love with people I can learn from, but I think I didn’t pre-select well enough for people that could stand me, that I could stand them.” That level of self-awareness feels less like gossip and more like growth.
The Relationship That Changed Everything
Everything changed when he married Suzy Amis Cameron in 2000. They now have three children together, and this became his first lasting marriage. In an industry where relationships often flicker out fast, that kind of longevity stands out. Many couples focus too much on the wedding and not enough on what comes after.
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He says a real relationship needs daily attention. “You’re constantly learning about the other person,” he explained, adding that you must decide you actually want to make your partner happy. He also stressed that you can’t assume what happiness means for someone else. You have to understand what truly matters to them, and act on it.
Cameron added, “Now I’ve been married happily and have earned that happiness, which you find out that you have to work at it for 25 years, so I think it’s a learned art.” The surprising part is that Cameron didn’t blame his ex-wives for the past. He admitted he was the common factor in every failed marriage and had to face that honestly. Now Cameron sees marriage as ongoing work, not a feeling that runs on its own.
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