James Cameron and Harvey Weinstein almost came to blows backstage at the Oscars in 1998, but not for the reason you might think.
metro.co.uk
While many are levelling claims of sexual misconduct against Weinstein, Cameron revealed an incident of a different type in a wide-ranging interview with Vanity Fair.
With Titanic’s 20th anniversary being celebrated this month, the interview touched on the record-breaking film and its legacy. In recalling Titanic’s historic 1998 Oscar night, Cameron casually revealed that one of the most memorable parts of the night was "almost getting in a fight with Harvey Weinstein and hitting him with my Oscar.”
The cause of the almost-fight? The disgraced Miramax mogul boasted to Cameron about his company’s outstanding treatment of artists. This claim seems to have irritated the “Titanic” director due to his close friendship with fellow director Guillermo del Toro, who Cameron felt had been treated unfairly by Weinstein.
James Cameron and Guillermo Del Toro. Zimbio.com
Guillermo directed the 1997 horror film Mimic, which was produced by Miramax and starred Weinstein-accuser Mira Sorvino. While the film did spawn two direct-to-DVD sequels, del Torro was not pleased with the final cut of the film.
According to Cameron, the heated verbal altercation went down on the main stage floor :
"The people around us were saying, “Not here! Not here!” Like it was O.K. to fight in the parking lot, you know, but it was not O.K. there when the music was playing, and they were about to go live” , recalled the director.
Del Torro has also shared his thoughts on making Mimic telling an audience :
“I really hated the experience. My first American experience was almost my last because it was with the Weinsteins and Miramax.”
While Harvey Weinstein may be down and out, del Torro and Cameron are both riding high. Del Torro’s most recent film, The Shape of Water, is getting serious Oscar buzz, and Cameron is currently busy shooting four Avatar sequels.