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Image via 20th Century Studios
Director James Cameron kind of takes a while to make his movies, with significant gaps between them. But that's okay because his movies are always brilliant, and usually display some sort of scientific advancement that Cameron introduced to the world of film via his interest in inventions and engineering. He has been responsible for a number of blockbuster hits, many of them in the sci-fi genre to suit his style and personal interests.
With these movies come a slew of memorable characters, who are all unique in their own individual ways. Each of these characters has the classic James Cameron flair written into them, which, more often than not, enriches the worlds of the films that they appear in. These are the best characters in James Cameron's movies, who have left lasting impressions on fans of his works.
10 Rose Dawson (Kate Winslet)
'Titanic' (1997)
Image via 20th Century Studios If there's one thing James Cameron is known for other than his various scientific innovations, it's his strong female protagonists. Women have been the primary focus of many of his films, including the 1997 disaster-romance film Titanic. The movie is about a rich girl named Rose (Kate Winslet), whose family isn't really all that caring towards her and who has been betrothed to a man that she doesn't like in the slightest. While on the doomed ocean liner, the RMS TItanic, Rose meets Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), a poor man whom she falls in love with.
Rose is initially all about being prim and proper, and is very uptight about maintaining standards in high society, even though this life makes her deeply unhappy. As the film goes on, Rose learns to let loose and live for herself, as Jack wants her to. Eventually, she learns to stand up to her jerk of a fiancé, deciding to leave her family, take the name of her one true love, and pave her own way forward. Rose can be whiny at times, but it's great to see her come into her own.
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Titanic
A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.
Release Date November 19, 1997
Director James Cameron
Runtime 194 minutes
Writers James Cameron
Studio Paramount Pictures
Tagline Collide With Destiny.
Franchise titanic
Budget 200 million
Studio(s) Paramount Pictures, 20th Century
Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures, 20th Century
9 Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
'True Lies' (1994)
Image via 20th Century Fox Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is the protagonist of the 1994 action-comedy flick True Lies, which is a pretty good movie but is nothing as technologically amazing as many of the films Cameron is known for. He and his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) are going through something of a midlife crisis, with him wishing for a normal life away from his duty as a spy, and her wishing for some extra adventure or great crusade in life.
Even with this familial turmoil, Harry keeps his priorities in check, focusing mainly on his mission, putting off his marriage problems until later for the sake of the world. He's not super different from many of the 80s and 90s tough guy action heroes that Arnie plays, but come on, it's Arnie. What's not to love? Ultimately though, Schwarzenegger's role, and this movie, are far from the most memorable in James Cameron's repertoire, even if they are both perfectly fine and not at all terrible.
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True Lies
Secretly a spy but thought by his family to be a dull salesman, Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is tracking down nuclear missiles in the possession of Islamic jihadist Aziz (Art Malik). Harry's mission is complicated when he realizes his neglected wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), is contemplating an affair with Simon (Bill Paxton), a used-car salesman who claims he's a spy. When Aziz kidnaps Harry and Helen, the secret agent must save the world and patch up his marriage at the same time.
Release Date July 15, 1994
Director James Cameron
Runtime 141 minutes
Writers James Cameron
Budget $115 million
Studio(s) 20th Century
8 John Connor (Edward Furlong, et al.)
'Terminator' Series (1984-2019)
Image via TriStar Pictures John Connor (Edward Furlong) is just a smart-mouthed kid when he first appears in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Right off the bat, he establishes himself as an extremely unlikable presence due to his mistreatment of his parents, overall rebellious attitude, and blatant rudeness to pretty much everyone he meets. However, when a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from the future comes to protect him in order to secure his future as leader of the resistance, John begins to listen and understand what's right.
He's more likable in the later films following the second, none of which were directed by Cameron, but is still kind of a fun presence in T2, even if he can be kind of a brat. His personality as a child is really repulsive, but John Connor's place in the world of Terminator is monumentally important. He manages to pull off some pretty monumental feats that a kid of his age would never be able to do, emphasizing his place in the universe as a sort of savior.
Release Date July 3, 1991
Director James Cameron
Runtime 137 Minutes
7 Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio)
'Titanic' (1997)
Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a poor American man who wins tickets on the RMS Titanic via gambling. These are third class tickets, which unfortunately means that he is not very high priority when it comes to evacuating the passengers when the ship begins to sink. He meets Rose, and over the next several days, they fall in love. Jack shows Rose how fine life can be when she isn't so concerned with uptight rules and standards, and encourages her to free herself from the way of life that she despises.
Jack's a bit of a loose cannon at times, but it is clear that he cares deeply for people. It is well-known that, at the end of the film, Jack makes the ultimate sacrifice for Rose. After the ship sinks, the two try to clamber on top of a floating door, but the weight imbalance throws them back into the freezing water. Realizing the door will only hold one of them, Jack decides to remain in the water, making Rose promise him that she will live her life to the fullest, as she always wanted. Rose is a pretty great character, but she needed that extra push to truly live as herself, and Jack happened to be that extra push, which makes him a lot more likable.
6 Jake Sully (Sam Worthington)
'Avatar' Series (2009-)
Image via 20th Century Studios Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) from Avatar is initially a United States Marine who is injured in the line of fire, paralyzing him from the waist down. His twin brother, Tommy, is a scientist enrolled in the avatar program on Pandora, but is killed in a mugging incident. Since they are genetically identical, Jake is enlisted to go in Tommy's place, taking his avatar, which is intended for use in winning over the indigenous Na'vi people of Pandora.
Jake falls in love with his new body and with the people, and decides to betray humanity and abandon their Draconian practices of forcing the Na'vi out of their homes, in favor of fighting with them instead. His new, limber body allows him to utilize his combat skills to the max, resulting in some pretty impressive stunts. He is also the first person in generations to tame Toruk, an abnormally large ikran, which earns him the respect of the Omaticaya tribe. Jake is a man of principle, and knows what's right and what isn't, which is why he ultimately defects and fights for the Na'vi's right to exist on their own planet.
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Avatar
A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
Release Date December 18, 2009
Director James Cameron
Runtime 162 minutes
Writers James Cameron
Franchise Avatar
Characters By James Cameron
Sequel Avatar: The Way of Water
Cinematographer Mauro Fiore
Producer Jon Landau, James Cameron
Production Company 20th Century Fox, Lightstorm Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners, Dune Entertainment
Sfx Supervisor Joe Letteri
Budget $237 Million
Studio(s) 20th Century Fox , Lightstorm Entertainment , Dune Entertainment , Ingenious Film Partners
Distributor(s) 20th Century Fox
Franchise(s) Avatar
5 Jenette Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein)
'Aliens' (1986)
Image via 20th Century Studios Jenette Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) is a space marine in the 1986 sci-fi action film Aliens. There are quite a few movies in the franchise, but this second installment is the only one that James Cameron directed. Vasquez serves as the gunner for the squad of space marines in the film, meaning she gets to carry around a flipping big machine gun known as a SMART gun.
Fans love Vasquez for her tough girl, no-nonsense attitude, and for dropping what is definitely the greatest clapback in movie history when she is asked if she has ever been mistaken for a man. She's quick on the trigger and smart as a whip, making for a talented soldier that no Xenomorph would want to come face-to-face with. Out of all the space marines in the second movie, Vasquez is one of the most iconic by a longshot.
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Aliens
Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.
Release Date July 18, 1986
Director James Cameron
Runtime 137 minutes
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Writers James Cameron
Budget $18.5 million
Studio(s) 20th Century
Distributor(s) 20th Century
Franchise(s) Alien
4 Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton)
'Terminator' Series (1984-2019)
Image via TriStar Pictures Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) is the mother of John Connor in The Terminator, who becomes the target of the T-800 after the machine is sent back in time to assassinate her and prevent her from giving birth to her son, thereby stopping the resistance from forming against the robots. But if there's one thing that becomes apparent during this movie, it's that nothing is more dangerous than a mother protecting her child, even if her child hasn't even been born yet.
The T-800 is a nearly-impervious machine specifically designed to kill humans, but Sarah consistently finds ways to outwit and outmaneuver it, eventually taking it down by crushing it in a hydraulic press. Right from the get-go, the odds are stacked against Sarah, but even in the face of certain annihilation, she intends to stay alive, no matter how small the chances may be. Sarah Connor is a testament to the fact that any shot, even a tiny one, is worth taking, regardless of the odds.
A relentless cyborg assassin is sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead the human resistance against machines. Protected by a soldier also sent from the future, Sarah must navigate a deadly game of cat and mouse to ensure her survival and humanity's future.
Release Date October 26, 1984
Director James Cameron
Runtime 107 Minutes
Writers James Cameron , Gale Anne Hurd , William Wisher
3 T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
'Terminator' Series (1984-2019)
Image via Orion Pictures The T-800, also known as just "The Terminator" is the one character in the Terminator franchise that has always been played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and has remained a presence in each and every film since the first. Why? Because he's just so cool, that's why! At first, he is a killer robot from the future sent back in time to assassinate John Connor, because he leads the resistance during the war against the machines, but in the second film, he is sent back in time to protect John.
The T-800 has faced off against some pretty remarkable foes, including the vastly superior T-1000 (Robert Patrick), who is practically invincible and much more technologically advanced. Whether it's firing a shotgun on a motorcycle or starting a bar fight over some clothes, the T-800 remains the soulless machine that he is– calm, cool, and collected, which perfectly represents the fact that he is a robot in the guise of a human.
A machine from a post-apocalyptic future travels back in time to protect a man and a woman from an advanced robotic assassin to ensure they both survive a nuclear attack.
Release Date July 2, 2003
Runtime 109 mins
Writers James Cameron , Gale Anne Hurd , John D. Brancato , Michael Ferris , Tedi Sarafian
Studio Warner Bros. Pictures
Tagline The machines will rise.
2 Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'atite (Zoe Saldaña)
'Avatar' Series (2009-)
Image via 20th Century Studios Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) of Avatar is the daughter of the Omaticaya's Tsahik, who is basically a shaman or spiritual leader. She is the first one who finds Jake when he becomes lost in the jungles of Pandora. Although she is initially annoyed by his presence, she begins to fall in love with him, eventually becoming his wife. Neytiri is a warrior with a fiery spirit, and has no problem standing up for herself or her loved ones in the face of violence.
Neytiri has contempt for humans at first, but as she lives alongside Jake, she begins to gain an appreciation for the ones that are genuinely acting in the best interest of the Na'vi.
She is skilled in the ways of the hunter, and becomes Jake's mentor as he learns and grows with the Omaticaya. Truly, he couldn't have asked for a better teacher, because she is a real crack-shot with her trusty bow. Neytiri has contempt for humans at first, but as she lives alongside Jake, she begins to gain an appreciation for the ones that are genuinely acting in the best interest of the Na'vi. Neytiri is not just a wise mentor who is perfect for becoming the next Tsahik, but she is a fierce fighter and by far the best character in Avatar.
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Avatar: The Way of Water
Ten years after the events of Avatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their new family as they brave the world of Pandora and the struggles they endure to protect themselves and their people. Director James Cameron used The Way of Water to explore the oceans of Pandora and set the stage for the subsequent three sequels. In addition to Worthington and Saldana, Avatar: The Way of the Water sees the return of Sigourney Weaver, this time playing a character named Kiri, and Stephen Lang’s villainous Quaritch.
Release Date December 16, 2022
Director James Cameron
Runtime 190 Minutes
Writers James Cameron , Josh Friedman , Rick Jaffa , Shane Salerno , Amanda Silver
Budget $250 Million
Studio(s) 20th Century
Distributor(s) 20th Century
prequel(s) Avatar
Franchise(s) Avatar
1 Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)
'Aliens' (1986)
Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is the main protagonist of the Alien franchise, or at least of the first four movies that came out between 1979 and 1997. Among Alien fans, Ripley is one of the most beloved characters due to her steadfast willpower and unwavering determination. It doesn't matter what she needs to do in order to survive, she will do it, no questions asked. She also has one of the most satisfying arcs in all fiction, hardening in personality throughout the four films in which she appears.
But through it all, she is always level-headed, strong-willed, and prepared for whatever danger comes her way. Ripley accomplished so much during her run in the franchise that she's sort of become the face of it, almost as much as the actual aliens themselves. In the second film, she makes the gutsy decision to square off with the Xenomorph Queen, and she manages to actually win the fight, which, needless to say, is no easy feat. Whether it's a minor tech problem or a large alien problem, any space marine would know that Ellen Ripley will get it taken care of, which makes her James Cameron's best character, even if he didn't personally create her.
NEXT: Every James Cameron Movie, Ranked By Box Office Earnings
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