John Refoua Cause of Death

American film editor, John Refoua who was best known for working on James Cameron’s Avatar has been reported dead. According to his wife Serena Bell, he died from complications related to bile cancer on May 14, 2023, at the age of 58.

Selena shared in a Facebook post that Refoua was working actively on Avatar 3 before his passing.

“Dear friends, my brilliant, sweet, creative husband John Djahanshah Refoua passed away last night, May 14 surrounded by family and friends who loved him. He was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer, 15 months ago. Despite the pain and complexities of this aggressive disease, he faced it with courage and grit. He continued to work and edit on James Cameron’s Avatar 3 right up to his final weeks,” she wrote in the post.

“His life’s trajectory was quite unique and anything he touched, he made better. He loved music, movies, politics, traveling, vintage cars, science fiction, and his 4-year-old granddaughter, Avery Sophia. We will miss his generosity and wisdom. A celebration of John Refoua’s life is being planned and details will be posted. Thank you to everyone who helped him and spent time with him this last year,” she added.

Born on December 8, 1964, John Refoua started his career in film editing on television in the ’90s. He worked on numerous shows including Law & Order, All McBeal, Touched by an Angel, and more.

He edited 16 episodes of Dark Angel created by Cameron, as well as other episodes on the shows Reno 911! and CSI: Miami from 2000 to 2002.

Refoua was a close ally and collaborator of James Cameron. He worked on both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. He also worked on the Titanic Documentary, Ghost of the Abyss, and others. Along with Cameron and Stephen Rivkin, Refoua was nominated for Best Film Editing at the 2010 Academy Awards for their work on Avatar. 

He also worked on several movies and tv shows including Olympus Has Fallen, The Equalizer, Southpaw, The Magnificent Seven, Transformers: The Last Knight, and more.