In a recent interview, the actor told The New York Times that during the filming of the 1986 sci-fi sequel, she once confronted director James Cameron over how he was treating a young actress who was struggling with difficult props. Aliens marked Weaver’s return as Ellen Ripley after the success of Alien, and it was Cameron’s first time working within the franchise.
Weaver said she approached Cameron and calmly explained that when a director yells at one actor, it affects everyone on set. She suggested he move on to another shot and give the actress time to get comfortable with the equipment. According to Weaver, Cameron listened and took her advice.
Looking back, Weaver says she believes Cameron has changed over the years. “He’s a good guy,” she said, adding that she feels he has mellowed since those early days.
She also recalled going out to dinner with Cameron after Aliens wrapped and being surprised by how different he was off set — funny, relaxed, and charming. That contrast, she said, helped her understand why the pressure of the shoot brought out a harsher side of him. Still, she joked that she was glad she didn’t work with him on The Abyss.
Cameron’s 1989 underwater thriller The Abyss is infamous for its troubled production. Cast members including Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio later described extreme physical and emotional stress on set, with dangerous conditions, long nights, and intense scenes pushing everyone to their limits. Harris once said the experience felt like an experiment where no one fully knew how far things might go.
Despite those stories, Weaver was never put off from working with Cameron again. She reunited with him years later for the Avatar franchise and has appeared in all three films so far. Her co-star Stephen Lang has said Cameron has softened with time, suggesting the director naturally evolved and grew as a person.
Cameron himself agrees that age and experience have changed him. He told the publication that while he could be demanding, he was never constantly shouting — and that everyone has bad days. If someone wasn’t doing their job, he said, he expected them to move aside so the work could continue.
Cameron’s latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is now playing in theaters worldwide, marking another chapter in a long creative partnership that began with a tense but defining moment nearly four decades ago.
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