How James Cameron Evolved The 'Strong Female Character' For Avatar: The Way Of Water
Big-budget blockbuster epics have typically remained male-dominated spaces for decades, by and large. Although there are certainly exceptions to the rule, it should come as no surprise that there has been a greater emphasis in recent years to push for more diverse casting and appeal more strongly to the roughly 51% of the global population that's been left unaccounted for by Hollywood. For instance, after an entire decade given over to all those hunky leading men named Chris, the Marvel Cinematic Universe just released a well-received and wildly profitable sequel made up almost entirely of women of color.
Now, after the original "Avatar" in 2009 foregrounded Sam Worthington's Jake Sully as our introduction to Pandora, the sequel is set to change the dynamic even further with the addition of numerous significant roles for women — with both new and returning faces.
In a virtual press conference attended by /Film, James Cameron and his talented cast addressed various aspects of his upcoming "Avatar: The Way of Water" (which has enjoyed overwhelmingly positive early reactions), namely the idea of writing "strong female characters." Cameron obviously has some pedigree in this department, having put his stamp on cinematic icons such as Sigourney Weaver's Ripley in "Aliens" and Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor in "The Terminator" ... but detractors would be right to point out that these sorts of characters, particularly as written by men, tend to fall under a very specific and narrow definition of femininity.
For his part, Cameron seems to be aware of this issue and sought to change it up in a big way with "The Way of Water."
'It was easy enough with Zoe Saldaña's character'
The original "Avatar" may not necessarily be known for memorable heroes and sharp character work, but that's not stopping James Cameron from putting his money where his mouth is with his highly-anticipated sequel. "The Way of Water" made waves (see what I did there?) with the addition of Kate Winslet, the (re)appearance of Sigourney Weaver in an entirely new role (you may or may not remember that her character, Dr. Grace Augustine, died in the previous movie), and a general feeling that it would attempt to up the ante to heights previously unreached by the 2009 box office juggernaut.
How will it do so, specifically? Well, that's where the thorny issue of "strong female characters" comes in. While many wouldn't mind seeing that phrase get retired permanently from our lexicon, mainly for lacking the nuance that's usually granted to men without question, it nonetheless represents a key focal point in representation for those looking for just a little less testosterone in their entertainment. During the press conference for "The Way of Water," this question inevitably came up, which Cameron was more than happy to address:
"It was easy enough with Zoe Saldaña's character, Neytiri, because she's very strong in the first film. But then, what happens when she's a mother and there's something outside herself that she puts herself beneath, in terms of her priorities? Her pride and so on, as the chief's daughter, princess of the clan, sort of thing. What's her new social standing? So it's really interesting to see how Zoe, with all the innate strength and intensity that she [brings] in, to see her with the shoe on the other foot."
'There are different ways to be strong'
The director is quick to point out the "sparks" of conflict that fly between Neytiri and Kate Winslet's character Ronal, describing both as "alphas" who tend not to back down from any challenge. But the mere fact that both characters are mothers adds a whole other dynamic that the first "Avatar" lacked. As it turns out, this also segues perfectly into how Sigourney Weaver's new character, the teenager Kiri, fits into the picture ... but those leery of even the smallest plot details would be wise to heed this minor spoiler warning.
Revealing that Kiri is actually the daughter of the late Dr. Augustine's Na'vi Avatar and subsequently adopted by Jake Sully and Neytiri, Cameron describes the young character as neither "a warrior" nor an "alpha." Instead, the new dimensions she brings to the proceedings speaks directly to the breadth of storytelling potential that should be available to all characters. According to Cameron:
"To me, I thought we had the opportunity to speak to teenage girls in a way that might make sense to them. I was very well aware of this problem, I read 'Reviving Ophelia,' I have daughters of my own, I've seen them go through it. I see the confusion and the sense of 'Who am I?,' identity, 'Who's listening to me?' All those things you go through when you're a teen. I sort of researched that for 'Titanic' and then I had lived that as a father after that. And so, we thought there are different ways to be strong, different ways for a female to be strong."
Outdated reference to the term "female" aside, Cameron at least seems to have his heart in the right place. "Avatar: The Way of Water" swims into theaters on December 16, 2022.