James Cameron has taken some time to reflect on a joke Amy Poehler made at the 2013 Golden Globes about his marriage to director Kathryn Bigelow.
In a new interview with The New York Times, the blockbuster director criticized Poehler, calling her joke "an ignorant dig" that "went too far."
Poehler co-hosted the 2013 Golden Globes with Tina Fey, where Bigelow was nominated for best director for Zero Dark Thirty. During the opening monologue, Poehler referenced the controversy surrounding the film's portrayal of torture with a joke.
"When it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spent three years married to James Cameron," Poehler quipped, prompting shock from the audience, and Zero Dark Thirty star Jessica Chastain.
"Amy Poehler's remark was an ignorant dig at an event which is supposed to be a celebration of cinema and filmmakers, not a roast," Cameron told The NYT. "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."
Cameron and Bigelow were married from 1989 to 1991 before divorcing. Both directors have since achieved major success, with Bigelow becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for The Hurt Locker in 2010, the same year Cameron's Avatar competed in the same category.
The 2013 Golden Globes appearance marked Bigelow's return to awards season prominence with Zero Dark Thirty, which drew criticism for its portrayal of enhanced interrogation techniques.
Cameron's interview with The New Your Times was to promote the latest installment of his Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash.
The movie has gotten off to a hot start at the box office, grossing more than $100 million worldwide so far domestically.
Avatar: Fire and Ash hit theaters on Friday (December 19) and brought in $36.5 million on opening day alone. On the 10th, the film brought in more than $11 million in previews. All in all, the latest Avatar film looks to have a domestic debut between the $84 million and $95 million range in the United States.