Throughout his time in the spotlight, James Cameron has not only earned plaudits (and MAJOR box office grosses) for his acclaimed films, he's also found personal joy in the movie-making process. And it goes beyond creative fulfillment!
Over the years, the Oscar-winning director, 71, has been married five times, and as it turns out, he's often found love in his professional endeavors, with four of his five wives being part of the entertainment industry as well.
© Getty ImagesWith the impending release of the third film in the lucrative Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, the filmmaker is back in the spotlight, with his current wife Suzy Amis by his side.
Take a walk down memory lane with James Cameron's five marriages, from his brief unions throughout the '80s and '90s, to his long-lasting current marriage…
© Getty ImagesSharon Williams, 1978-1984
At the start of his career, James married Sharon Williams in 1978. Little is known about their relationship or Sharon's life now. However, it was believed that she helped with the idea for what would become 1984's The Terminator, his first success as a director. However, that same year, he and Sharon divorced when he married his colleague…
© Getty ImagesGale Anne Hurd, 1985-1989
…Gale Anne Hurd the year after. James and Gale struck up a romance when she bought the rights to The Terminator and assigned him the task of directing, also being credited as a co-writer on the project. She and James tied the knot in 1985, and they worked together on several other projects, including Aliens (1986) and The Abyss (1989), before divorcing.
In 2024, speaking with JoBlo, Gale, now 70, spoke in defense of her ex when he attracted criticism for his 4K film restorations. "Let all those critics make their own movies, and they can restore them as they see fit. That's my opinion. Jim, in every possible meaning of the word auteur, is an auteur. And whatever version he wants to release, everyone should be fine with."
© Getty ImagesKathryn Bigelow, 1989-1991
In 1989, he married filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow. However, their marriage didn't last, ending shortly after in 1991. In 2010, the exes went head to head during award season, facing off in the Best Director category over his sci-fi box office juggernaut Avatar and her independent war drama The Hurt Locker. It culminated at the 82nd Academy Awards when Kathryn won, not only beating her ex-husband, but making history as the first female to win the Academy Award for Best Director.
At the time, Kathryn, now 74, credited his intense devotion to his work as the reason for their split, but they remained friends. In fact, in a statement released after Kathryn's Oscar win, James noted that they'd discussed the moment several times before it even happened. "They wanted us to be co-presenters, but we looked at one another and said, 'We're not going to play that game'," he added.
© Getty ImagesLinda Hamilton, 1997-1999
After his split from Kathryn, James began dating the lead of The Terminator series, Linda Hamilton, welcoming their daughter Josephine in 1993. They married in 1997, although the time was marred by speculation of an affair with Suzy Amis, who had a brief role in Titanic. He stayed with Linda until 1999, with some reports at the time suggesting she received a $50 million settlement.
In 2011, Linda, now 69, told The Daily Mail: "It's interesting because while he was making Titanic, Suzy at that time was the gargoyle on the end of my bed, waiting to swoop in. Now I'm the gargoyle on her bed because for Jim, the one who doesn't end up with him is always the one he wants. I'm the one who got away, and she has to live with that."
© Getty ImagesSuzy Amis, 2000-present
In 2000, he tied the knot with Suzy, 63, a former actress, author and activist. The pair have also worked extensively in plant-based activism together, co-founding the organization Plant Power Task Force in 2014. They have two sons and a daughter together, plus in 2020, they became the legal guardians of one of their daughter's teenage friends. They live in New Zealand together.
