James Cameron Says He Has 'Tons Of Energy' After Over 10 Years Of Plant-Based Diet

James Cameron has said he still has “tons of energy” after following a plant-based diet for more than a decade.

In a recent appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, the Canadian filmmaker talked about what made him go plant-based, as well as leadership, pressure, creativity, and “the personal cost of relentless ambition” in his nearly 50-year career.

Speaking to Bensinger on the most recent episode of his show, Cameron explained that his wife, the author, actor, model, and plant-based advocate Suzy Cameron, introduced him to the lifestyle by showing him Forks Over Knives.

“I already knew all the sustainability reasons why we should eat plant-based, but I had sort of rejected it because ‘I’m a man, I need my meat, damnit,'” Cameron said. “‘We need animal protein.’ We are indoctrinated with that since the time we’re born, essentially. It turns out you don’t, and in fact, it’s unhealthy.”

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“When I saw Forks Over Knives, I went, ‘Wow, this is, this is crazy. I need to do more research.’ So, very quickly, within a few days, we said, ‘All right, we’re, we’re going 100% plant-based.” And we did,” Cameron said. “And then I found this amazing surge of energy and a healthfulness. That was in 2011, so it’s been 14 years.”

He told Bensinger that he doesn’t really get sick anymore, and after going vegan, he was “back running” and experienced a “huge surge of energy.” Cameron added, “That surge has lasted until now. You know, I still have tons of energy.”

‘Making movies is a contact sport’

Adobe Stock At 71, Cameron has made three out of five planned ‘Avatar’ films

Cameron told Bensinger that “making movies is a contact sport,” and said that the energy he gets from plant foods helps him to be a “very physical” filmmaker.

At 71 years old, Cameron has made around 40 films. He is still best known for his early science fiction works, which include Terminator and Aliens, as well as 1999’s Titanic, and the ongoing Avatar franchise. He has made three out of the four highest-grossing films of all time, and is a keen ocean explorer and environmentalist.

In 2014, he and Suzy Cameron co-founded Plant Power Task Force, an organization that has raised awareness of the link between animal agriculture and climate change, supported scientific studies, and advocated for plant-based nutrition.

In 2006, Suzy co-founded Muse Global Schools. The nonprofit school is zero-waste, solar-powered, and has served exclusively vegan lunches since 2016.