James Cameron Saw This 93%-Rated Oscar Darling 2 Times & Cried His Eyes Out: "I Bawled"

During a recent Directors Roundtable hosted by The Hollywood Reporter, James Cameron and Chloé Zhao had a conversation. Cameron, the creator of Titanic and Avatar, made a big confession to Zhao.

James Cameron Revealed That Chloé Zhao's 'Hamnet' Made a Big Impression on Him

It turned out that James Cameron had seen her new movie, Hamnet, twice and cried more than once during both screenings:

“I bawled both times, multiple times in the film. Your superpower is your empathy. So what the hell are you doing in Hollywood? How do you navigate that and still be able to keep your heart open?

Is there a trick to that? I'd like to personally know. It seems like your connection with nature is the core of everything.”

What Is 'Hamnet' About?

Hamnet is based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel of the same name. It centers on William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes. William is a Latin teacher whose father considers him a worthless dreamer.

Agnes is the eldest daughter of a family living on the edge of the forest. She is a healer who has been branded a "witch" and unfit for marriage by her family. The two outcasts meet and, against all odds, start a family.

They have a daughter, and then Agnes becomes pregnant with twins. Agnes knows she is destined to lose one child, but she hopes to cheat fate.

Will leaves for London to pursue his dreams, and the premonition comes true: their son Hamnet dies. Grief separates the couple, and Shakespeare returns to London to write a play – his only way to cope.

'Hamnet' Is a History and Fiction Woven Together to Deliver One of the Most Powerful Movies About Art

Chloé Zhao takes the historical fact that Shakespeare had a son named Hamnet who died at age 11 and builds an artistic universe around it. In this universe, mysticism coexists with the mundane, and forest landscapes become the language of love.

In Hamnet, Agnes isn't just the wife of a genius – she is nature itself, the feminine principle, and a boundless, enveloping care. Will is an introvert who stutters in everyday life but finds his voice on paper. They understand each other beyond words, on a vibrational level.

However, the death of their son shatters this bond. Will can't speak of his pain, and Agnes is consumed by loneliness. Only one thing can save them: art. Hamlet becomes a bridge across the abyss, a way to express what human language cannot.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Hamnet'?

• Hamnet has 86% from critics and 93% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 8.0/10.

• On Letterboxd, Hamnet scored 4.2/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Hamnet'?

Hamnet is available to buy or rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.