PETA Goes After ‘Avatar’ Director for Making Comment About Dolphins While Promoting Movie
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) took issue with a comment made by director James Cameron while promoting his current movie. While in Japan, Cameron held a press conference to promote “Avatar: The Way…
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) took issue with a comment made by director James Cameron while promoting his current movie.
While in Japan, Cameron held a press conference to promote “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
“Welcome to Pandora!” Cameron said during the opening of his remarks.
As scenes of the movie played on a screen, a stunt performer was seen performing stunts with a dolphin.
“I love these animals. I love their intelligence. I love their sociability, their ability to connect with us and to interact with us and learn from us,” Cameron said.
He added, “And I’m sure everybody asked their permission to be in the show.”
PETA was not happy with the remark, tweeting, “Honestly, ? No, no one asked the dolphin’s permission to be in the show.”
The organization was not the only one to criticize Cameron.
Richard “Ric” O’Barry, founder of Dolphin Project, penned a letter to Cameron and the movie crew.
“To watch this particular group of filmmakers, whom I greatly admire and respect, applaud captive dolphins performing tricks in a tiny pool absolutely floored me. I was hoping it was a mistake. It wasn’t, but it was a brutal wake up call,” O’Barry wrote.
He continued, “The clapping really got to me. It wasn’t just James Cameron. Everyone clapped. Everyone was amused and entertained: Jon Landau, Zoe Saldaña, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang.”
O’Barry explained watching the video of the event left him “feeling completely hopeless and betrayed. It made me question everything we have been doing. Still does.”