James Cameron Saved a Drowned Rat on ‘The Abyss’ Set to Keep Animal Safety Record

James Cameron is known for pushing limits on set, but one little-known story from the filming of The Abyss shows a surprising softer side of the legendary director.

During the shoot, a rat used to demonstrate the movie’s experimental oxygenated water technology drowned.

Faced with the possibility of losing the film’s “No Animals Were Harmed” certification, Cameron jumped into action and performed CPR on the small rodent. The rat miraculously survived, and Cameron said he later adopted it as a pet, naming it Beady.

“Beady and I bonded over the whole thing,” Cameron recalled. “I saved his life. We were brothers. He used to sit on my desk while I was writing Terminator 2, and he lived to a ripe old age.” Despite his famously intense demeanor on set, Cameron’s actions showed a willingness to go to any length for both his animals and his craft.

The Abyss, released in 1989 by 20th Century Fox, starred Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. The sci-fi film follows a U.S. submarine crew and an oil platform team racing to recover a sunken vessel in the Caribbean, only to encounter an unexpected underwater phenomenon. The film earned positive reviews and grossed $90 million, receiving four Academy Award nominations and winning for Best Visual Effects.

The movie featured a unique liquid breathing technology. While actors like Ed Harris never actually inhaled the fluid, the prop required precise safety measures. Over the years, the oxygenated liquid had been tested on animals and proven safe, including the rat used on set. Cameron consulted with Dr. Kylstra to ensure all procedures were safe.

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