Kate Winslet made her movie debut as a murderous teenage girl in the film, Heavenly Creatures. Shortly after, she landed her second lead role in Sense and Sensibility. The director of the film, Ang Lee, initially disliked Winslet’s performance in her debut film and called her to audition for a lesser part, but the Titanic actress impressed Lee with a single reading.
The movie is based on Jane Austen’s novel of the same name and Emma Thompson wrote the screenplay for the film. Thompson, who also acted in a lead role, changed some elements from the original text to present a better social theme for the story. Thompson’s commitment to social relevance extended beyond the screen.
Emma Thompson Set An Example For Kate Winslet
Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet were paired up as sisters in the Ang Lee film, playing Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. The story explores the sisters in a poverty-ridden situation and they seek marriage as a solution for financial security. Thompson won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for her work on the film.
Winslet remembers the movie for its influential impact on her life, especially the guidance and support from her on-screen sister, Thompson. The Harry Potter actress advised the Mare of Easttown actress to ignore the negativity surrounding her body image. The Cruella actress reassured Winslet that her body was perfect just the way it was. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, The Holiday actress shared Thompson’s sweet “threat” against her:
“‘As much as you might be tempted, you need to remember that it’s very important not to work sometimes’. And she also told me, ‘If you ever lose weight, I will never f**king talk to you again.’”
The Ammonite actress was earlier brutally criticized for her body weight, even during her early acting days in England. The criticisms didn’t stop when she entered mainstream films either. The Reader actress revealed that body shaming kept coming her way, but Thompson’s advice made her into a champion of body positivity in Hollywood.
Not Only Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson Continues To Inspire Other Young Actresses
Kate Winslet admitted to learning her professional composure from Emma Thompson. The Love Actually actress is known to voice her opinions on a range of issues, particularly those affecting women. The human rights activist has faced criticism for her overly outspoken nature. However, Thompson continues to inspire young women, particularly models and actresses, to feel confident about their bodies.
The Late Night actress went as far as threatening to quit a movie when the director asked an aspiring actress to lose weight for the role. The 64-year-old actress also exposed the modeling industry for setting unrealistic beauty standards, leading models to starve themselves to maintain their shapes.
Kate Winslet remains good friends with Thompson even years after their successful collaboration which gained $135 million at the box office. The movie also featured legendary talents Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant as the male leads. Sense and Sensibility is now available for streaming on Prime Video.
Source: EW
