Kate Winslet opens up about early career body shaming
Kate Winslet has navigated a challenging and arduous journey to reach the pinnacle of acting. During her early days on film sets, she faced numerous obstacles from crew members. As she revealed, her alleged excessive body weight was pointed out in an offensive manner.
Kate Winslet is one of the most sought-after and acclaimed actresses in recent years. She won an Oscar for the critically acclaimed melodrama "The Reader," has earned five Golden Globes, and accumulated dozens of other awards over a career spanning more than 30 years. Audiences, who have consistently expressed their admiration for her, see her not just as a big-screen star, but as the girl next door.
However, the British actress doesn't look back fondly on her early days in the profession. During an extensive interview on CBS's "60 Minutes," she discussed the pressure placed especially on young girls, who often find every skin blemish and pound scrutinized. She admitted that she, too, suffered from the fat-shaming still prevalent in the entertainment industry.
Kate Winslet experienced a painful collision with the brutal world of show business
The first harsh comments began to reach the actress during the promotion of "Titanic," which solidified her position in the film market. At the Golden Globes ceremony in 1998, she wore a black lace dress with a nude back. Years later, she revealed that one of the journalists present on the red carpet told her directly that she looked "chubby" in it.
It was absolutely terrifying. What kind of person do you have to be to say something like that to a young actress who is just trying to find her way in this world and learn about it?, she asked rhetorically during the conversation.
Kate Winslet's debut on the big screen was preceded by five years of education at Redroofs Theatre School. A drama teacher bluntly threw an offensive comment her way, which would have traumatized many students.
Listen, Kate. I'm telling you, darling, if you look like this, you'll have to settle for roles as the fat girl, she reportedly heard during a class.
The 49-year-old revealed that despite the clear stigmatization of such judgments, various criticisms are still directed at her. She recalled a story from last year when a member of the "Lee" team, the latest film she worked on, suggested she straighten up during a scene in a swimsuit to "hide the belly rolls." An amused Kate promptly clarified that such criticism no longer bothers her, recommending this mindset to her younger colleagues in the industry.
