James Cameron on Women and Action Roles in Films

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• SUDIPTA DEY | September 22, 2012 11:31 AMReply

  I really like this kind of roles.....not only men ,women also can fight,also can protect her nation ..females not only a sex or emotional pole in creative industry....wanna see more this kind of movies...female action....Cameron rocks ....But one thing i dislike,compromising of female models and actress to get shows or roles....i can see it everywhere,in Bollywood & Hollywood ...i am an INDIAN citizen...really seek and tired to see that because m also from this field....not to do this thing to get roles in this industry.....SUDIPTA DEY

• d | September 17, 2012 4:08 PMReply

  To Cameron’s claim, I'd vehemently disagree. He makes his female characters more mannish, as society would consider them, and that’s why I enjoy them. There was an EW article that talked about action heroines, and the author said Cameron turned Sarah into a man in T2. And on a certain level, you can say that. But it’s not because those traits aren’t in women – women are just not allowed to display them on the big screen. When Sarah ruthlessly decides to go after the scientist, because, logically speaking, that’s the best way to prevent the dark future, it makes perfect sense. But that type of cold emotional demeanor is not often portrayed in even female villains (ie. The Baroness in the first G.I. Joe, as an example). So its interesting to me that he would say that, because I can almost see in certain characters’ footprints of the creators trying to make them “female” protagonists, as opposed to just protagonists.
  
  
  For here specifically – Grace? Grace is the person that people will walk away remembering after seeing Avatar? Grace, who is basically a stock character? Grace stands out because 1) while stock, again, this is a role not often given to women to play, so it feels fresher, and 2) Sigourney plays it, and I like most of the stuff she's in, regardless. But how strange to highlight action heroes, legendary characters, and NOT talk about Neytiri. Neytiri - who is the warrior and trained the hero. Who not only rescued Jake twice, but was the one to deal the fatal blow to the main villain! That is a coveted prize not often bestowed to the anyone other than the main male lead, regardless of gender. Whose face was on more promo pics than Jake’s, let alone Grace’s. How does anyone walk away from that film NOT thinking it is she who will be remembered a decade from now? So that sentence troubled me, because Neytiri would be the only woman of color (figuratively, but literally as well since she played blue, lol) in that pantheon. And say what you will about female action heroes, the ones of color are virtually non-existent.
  
  
  @Marge – I wasn’t sure by what you meant – were you talking technically? Or was it more the idea that it's the actor that infuses the depth? I do think there are quite a few female actors who will noticeably change a character from how it was originally envisioned. Either way, you bring up a great point. I do think the T saga was James’s baby, but Ripley, if I recall correctly, was not only not his, but originally male; so Cameron just continued what Ridley Scott began, in the first film.

• marge | September 17, 2012 3:36 PMReply

  I'm pretty sure that Ripley and Sarah Connor don't count as Cameron's characters.