Oscar-winner Kate Winslet is one of the most loved actresses in Hollywood. She first garnered attention with films like Heavenly Creatures (1994) and Sense and Sensibility (1995). But the actress became a global star after starring in James Cameron’s blockbuster Titanic (1997).
During the early stages of her career, Winslet had to face scrutiny about her body. There have been constant comments about her figure, but she always defended herself against all those rude remarks. Recalling her experience, the Labor Day actress recently shared a naked truth about onscreen nudity.
Injured Kate Winslet Recreates Topless Scene Despite Painful Hematomas
In the upcoming film Lee, Kate Winslet plays photographer Lee Miller. And guess what? There’s a scene where she once photographed picnicking topless with friends.
Just like Titanic, she had to recreate that moment by exposing herself. But this time, she didn’t prettily pose on a fancy couch – because it isn’t possible while dealing with a sore back.
She had a back injury on the first day of filming, which left her with three hematomas on her spine. The damage meant she couldn’t work out like usual (at least until she didn’t fully recover). In a candid interview for the October 2023 issue of Vogue, she went onto say by referencing her nude scenes in the Lee:
“You know I had to be really f*cking brave about letting my body be its softest version of itself and not hiding from that.”
She also told how some of her team members weren’t always helpful, as they sometimes urged her to “sit up a bit” to create a more flattering angle:
“I’d go, ‘Why? [Because of] the bit of flesh you can see? No, that’s the way it’s going to be!'”
It looks like Winslet kept the shoot all real and natural.
Kate Winslet Opens Up About Early Career Fat Shaming
In the same interview with Vogue, she explained why filming nude scenes requires courage after heavily facing body shaming throughout her 20s:
“I was consistently told I was the wrong shape. I was consistently told I would have to settle for less.”
After several awards and accolades later, nobody can say she wasn’t the perfect fit for all the roles she did. Besides this, Winslet once opened up with The Guardian and revealed she got some not-so-great advice back in the day. Even her teacher told her to go for “fat girl” roles when she was starting out in acting school.
And it didn’t stop there – even in Hollywood, her agent had to field questions like, “How’s her weight?” She shared the mental toll that came with all the public scrutiny of her body after Titanic in 1997, which was “so upsetting and horrible.”
The star heard it all over the years, but she’s become a pro at tuning out the noise and just doing her job, she told Vogue:
“I know better than to waste precious energy on criticizing my physical self,” she said. “I think any woman is better off just saying: I believe in myself. It doesn’t matter what other people think; this is who I am — let’s get on with it.”
Lee, starring Kate Winslet, had its world premiere at TIFF 2023 on September 9, 2023. Although, the film does not have a release date yet.
