What did Amy Poehler say about James Cameron at 2013 Golden Globes? Director says comedian's joke about his ex-wife "went too far"

Titanic director James Cameron criticized Amy Poehler for her joke about his marriage to his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow. The joke was made at the 2013 Golden Globes, where Bigelow received a nomination for her 2012 film Zero Dark Thirty. Referring to the torture scene in the movie, Poehler joked and said,

"When it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spent three years married to James Cameron."

According to reports by Variety, the joke visibly shocked a lot of people at the time. Now Cameron recently broke silence about it during his recent interview with The New York Times. Describing Poehler's joke as an "ignorant dig," Cameron believed that it went too far. The 71-year-old filmmaker said,

"I'm pretty thick-skinned and happy to be the butt of a good-natured joke, but that went too far. The fact that people found it funny shows exactly what they think of me, even though they have no idea who I am or how I work."

For the unversed, James Cameron was married to Kathryn Bigelow from 1989 till 1991. The former couple tied the knot shortly after Cameron divorced his second wife, producer Gale Anne Hurd. According to Cameron, Hollywood has made up scenarios to pit him and Bigelow against each other, particularly during the 2009-2010 awards season.

At the time, Cameron's Avatar and Bigelow's The Hurt Locker were competing against each other at several award shows, including the Oscars. James Cameron added that when The Hurt Locker finally won, he felt extremely proud of Kathryn despite their past relationship. 

James Cameron reportedly had a reputation of being difficult on his actors and crew

Director James Cameron has recently had a reputation of being too hard on his team while working. Titanic actress Kate Winslet told The New York Times about her experience working with Cameron. Winslet shed light on her time working with the director and said,

"Being really honest, there were moments when he would yell, and there were moments that were difficult for people."

However, reports suggested that something about Cameron changed over time. He reportedly approached Winslet for her feedback on Avatar: Fire & Ash. She referred to the time and believed that he seemed like a "different Jim." Actress Sigourney Weaver also recalled Cameron's way of dealing with his artists and crew. Weaver, who reportedly had warned Cameron to go easier on a young actor, said,

"I sort of trundled up to him, and I said, 'You know, when you yell at an actor, you yell at all of us, so understand that what she was doing actually was very hard. Maybe shoot something else while she gets used to doing this stuff the way you want it.'"

Describing Cameron as a "good guy," Weaver believed that the filmmaker has "mellowed." Meanwhile, as he reacted to the 2013 Golden Globes jokes by Amy Poehler, she has not shared anything in response as of now.

James Cameron is known for his movies such as The Terminator, Avatar, and Avatar: The Way of Water. His latest movie, Avatar: Fire and Ash, was released in the US on December 19, 2025.