James Cameron almost got into a fight with Weinstein

James Cameron has revealed he nearly got into a fight with producer Harvey Weinstein at the 70th Academy Awards.

The critically acclaimed director claimed in an interview with Vanity Fair that he almost hit the producer with his Oscar statue just as the show went live, but was dissuaded by guests. 

Cameron said the reason the altercation occurred was because he was upset over the way Miramax allegedly treated director Guillermo Del Toro, whose 1997 film Mimic was produced by Weinstein and distributed by his studio.

Asked what he remembered most about the night of the 70th Academy Awards, James said: ‘I remember almost getting in a fight with Harvey Weinstein and hitting him with my Oscar.’ 

The interviewer replied, ‘In retrospect there are probably a lot of people…’

‘That would’ve preferred I had played through on that one,’ Cameron continued. ‘It was happening on the main floor at the [theater]… And the music had started to play to get back in our seats.

‘The people around us were saying, “Not here! Not here!” Like it was OK to fight in the parking lot, you know, but it was not OK when the music was playing, and they were about to go live.’ 

Oscar hit! Asked what he remembered most about the 70th Academy Awards, James said’I remember almost getting in a fight with Harvey Weinstein and hitting him with my Oscar’

For a friend: Asked what provoked the almost-fight, James said ‘It has to do with Guillermo del Toro (seen above in October) and how badly he was dealt with by Miramax [on] his film Mimic’

Asked what provoked the almost-fight, James recounted: ‘It’s kind of a long story, but it has to do with Guillermo Del Toro and how badly he was dealt with by Miramax on Mimic.’

‘Harvey came up glad-handing me, talking about how great they were for the artist,’ James explained.

But James wasn’t having it, remembering: ‘…I just read him chapter and verse about how great I thought he was for the artist based on my friend’s experience, and that led to an altercation.’

Del Toro has previously said working with Weinstein and Miramax left a bad taste in his mouth, back during the production of his first English-language feature Mimic.

Del Toro has been open about how working with Weinstein left a bad taste in his mouth, saying ‘My first American [film] experience was almost my last because it was with the Weinsteins and Miramax’ back in October. Above the Mexico-born director and Cameron are seen in 2004

Birds of a feather: Cameron and Del Toro have been longtime pals. James (above in 2017) received special thanks for Guillermo’s 1993 film Cronos and got that special nod again two decades later with 2013’s Pacific Rim

During October’s BFI London Film Festival, the Pans Labyrinth creator/director was ultra-candid with audiences, claiming: ‘I really hated the experience.’

The Mexican-born director continued, according to IndieWire: ‘My first American [film] experience was almost my last because it was with the Weinsteins and Miramax. 

‘I have got to tell you, two horrible things happened in the late nineties, my father was kidnapped and I worked with the Weinsteins.’

But Del Toro wasn’t done there, adding: ‘I know which one was worse… the kidnapping made more sense, I knew what they wanted.’

Open book: The Hellboy director (above November 14 2017) called working with Weinstein and Miramax was ‘worse’ than dealing with his father Federico’s kidnappers, explaining at lease ‘I knew what [the kidnappers] wanted’

The Hellboy director was referencing to the time his father, Federico, was kidnapped and held for random for 72 days in Guadalajara, Mexico during 1998.

Interestingly, Del Toro’s pal James Cameron was integral to rescuing his dad, actually lending the then-up-and-coming director the money for his fathers $1million ransom.

Del Toro’s next film, The Shape Of Water, will debut December 8 in the states.

Meanwhile, Cameron is busy writing the next four installments of Avatar, already committed to production deep into 2025 by Disney.

Back to Pandora! Cameron (above November 15) is busy writing the next four installments of Avatar, already committed to production deep into 2025 by Disney