When it comes to famous Hollywood directors, James Cameron is a study in contrasts. On one hand, he is the acclaimed filmmaker who has brought us hits ranging from Titanic to Terminator 2 to Avatar. On the other hand, he is known for working his actors hard and creating set environments that are downright unpleasant for those who are weak of heart.
Whether or not you’re a big fan of Cameron, you should know the man has led one heck of a life. The contrast between his career success and his extreme style of directing has created some behind-the-scenes stories even crazier than his films.
Don’t believe it? Buckle up and get ready for the craziest behind-the-scenes stories involving the one-and-only James Cameron!
The motivation behind his biggest movie
Titanic was a huge film for the actors involved. It’s fair to say that it helped transform stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet into some of the biggest stars in the world. And while James Cameron was already a very successful director, the sheer popularity of Titanic helped make him one of the most sought-after filmmakers in the world.
Because of that, you might think Cameron was very passionate about bringing the film to life. Surprisingly, that’s not true: the director’s real passion was exploring the actual wreck of the Titanic. In later interviews, he was very frank about how he just wanted to finance his trip and took a cue from others about making Titanic to fund his own historic expedition into the seas.