James Cameron has been married five times, the third time to ‘The Hurt Locker’ director Kathryn Bigelow. And MTV points out that, until now, Cameron never found himself competing against one of his former spouses for a major award. But on January 17, Cameron and Bigelow will both be holding their breath (one might assume) when the winner for the Best Director Golden Globe is announced. He is nominated for ‘Avatar’ and she for ‘The Hurt Locker.’

So, how brutal is the competitive animosity? Not at all apparently.

“We’re on very good terms,” Cameron told MTV News. “I couldn’t be happier to see her get a nomination, because it’s a recognition that’s long overdue. I’ve known that she’s a genius filmmaker for a long time, and she’s always flirted with this sort of critical success. This film is such a slam dunk. ‘Hurt Locker’ is such a great film.”

Their movies will also go head to head in the Best Motion Picture – Drama category. ‘Hurt Locker’ is nominated in three categories, including Best Screenplay, while ‘Avatar’ is up for four, including Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

MTV says that, not only are the former couple on good terms, they continued to work together after splitting up in 1991. In 1995, Bigelow directed ‘Strange Days’ in 1995, which Cameron wrote and produced.

Cameron said, “I’ve been divorced more times than I’ve been nominated. I don’t really know which one is more awkward.”

Bigelow’s other films include ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’ (2002) and ‘Point Break,’ which Cameron produced in 1991.

(Photo by PR Photos)

Story provided by the Dish Information Corporation