Cameron: Give Best Picture To My Team – But Give Best Director To Kathryn Because “I Don't Really Need Another One”

In a new interview with Charlie Rose, Jim Cameron said he wants Avatar to win Best Picture for his team and Academy voters to give Best Director to Kathryn Bigelow, his ex-wife and helmer of The Hurt Locker. I can’t tell if this brazen campaigning hurts or helps his Oscar chances:

For transcript,

Charlie Rose: So if someone sitting there says, ‘Look, I’m going to give it to Cameron, Best Picture, but Bigelow Best Director –

James Cameron: That would be a fantasy. That would be my fantasy outcome, absolutely.

Charlie Rose: That would be what you’d like to see?

James Cameron: That’s the best possible outcome… because I know how hard my team worked and how much they would — how proud they would be of that accolade, you know what I mean? And look, for myself, I have already got an Oscar. I’ve got a couple of them, you know. And I respect the whole institution of the Academy Awards because it’s the pinnacle of achievement in my chosen profession. But I don’t really need another one. But to be honored – you know, to have the team honored and for their accomplishment, that would mean so much to them. And I think that would be the fantasy outcome in all of this.

Charlie Rose: So you’re saying to the voters, please take a look at my team and go for us as Best Picture. But –

James Cameron: Yeah, and I –

Charlie Rose: — go for Kathryn Bigelow for Best Director.

James Cameron: I mean, all I can say is that that would make me very happy if that – you know, I don’t want to try to get —

Charlie Rose: Happier than if it was Best Director for James Cameron?

James Cameron: Honestly, yes.