To cap off a weekend long celebration at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event, Avatar and Titanic director James Cameron was named an official Disney Legend.
Sunday night’s ceremony honored 14 Disney Legends who have made a profound impact on the legacy of The Walt Disney Company — including previous Imagineer Joe Rohde who was lead designer on Disney’s Animal Kingdom and one of the main creative forces behind Pandora — The World of Avatar.
The other 2024 honorees included Colleen Atwood, Angela Bassett, Martha Blanding, James L. Brooks, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, Steve Ditko, Harrison Ford, Mark Henn, Frank Oz, Kelly Rippa and John Williams.
Prior to Cameron taking the stage, Titanic and Avatar: The Way of Water actress Kate Winslet shared a few remarks during a special video message. On Cameron’s craft Winslet stated, “You’ve revolutionized the filmmaking process too many times to count, developing cutting-edge technology to create an immersive, realistic experience for the audience.” Winslet then introduced Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water actress Zoe Saldaña as the stage transformed into a Pandoran-inspired backdrop.
Once Avatar: Fire and Ash — the third installment in the Avatar film franchise — releases in 2025, Saldaña will have worked with Cameron for over 16 years as the role of Neytiri. Saldaña said, “Working with you has been a wild ride. Your passion, your dedication, and your eye for detail are truly unmatched.”
Other video tributes congratulating Cameron included excerpts from Sigourney Weaver and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Prior to accepting the honor, Cameron thanked his cast and crew and remarked that a director is only as good as his team. To close out his speech, Cameron honored his producing partner for over 30 years, the late Jon Landau. “We make it our goal now to carry on his legacy,” the director shared.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa is a one-of-a-kind, multi-day fan experience showcasing the very best in creative storytelling and innovation from across the worlds of Disney. D23 in 2024 has been reimagined to be more expansive and more immersive than ever before, with three packed days of showcases with stars and storytellers, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes moments, thrilling performances, shopping, surprises, and more. For the latest news on D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, visit ultimatefanevent.d23.com. Presentations, talent, and schedules are subject to change. Join the D23 conversation online by following DisneyD23 on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and use the hashtag #D23