Kate Winslet Says Hollywood Told Her To Stick To 'Fat Girl' Roles
The Titanic superstar revealed that she was body-shamed in her early acting days.
It’s hard to imagine anyone turning down a chance to have Kate Winslet in their movie. But the Academy-Award Winning actress recently sat down with The Sunday Times, and admitted that in her first years in Hollywood, she didn’t receive the encouragement or advice she was hoping for. In fact, she was told to settle for the ‘fat girl roles.’
She says that she was called “blubber,” and compared the criticism to what young people currently face when they use social media. As a mother of two, she sympathizes with her daughter, Mia Threapleton, 22, and how her generation faces this extra layer of scrutiny.
“Just because I am high-profile,” Winslet shared. “It doesn’t mean I’m not affected. I don’t have a protective force field. I mustn’t talk specifics because I must be careful with Mia’s privacy, but young adults are going through something incredibly hard. I don’t have a magic wand, but as a parent, you try to do the right thing.”
“There are times in your child’s life when nothing you can do or say is right. You just want them to be happy, but the pressures of the world are enormous. There’s nothing you can do to keep them safe,” she added.
Kate Winslet and her daughter Mia in ‘I Am Ruth.’
Fortunately, Kate admits that the industry has evolved quite a bit, and it’s no longer adhering to outdated stigmas. “But in the film industry, it is really changing,” she added. “When I was younger, my agent would get calls saying, 'How's her weight?' I kid you not. So it's heartwarming that this has started to change.”
She also points out an important thing: This generation is built differently. “My daughter's generation has the ability to speak for themselves,” Winslet explained. “They have already learned that they will be heard. Obviously, not in every situation, but they know how to use their voice — especially young women. That's striking to me. When I was younger, you spoke when spoken to. That is not the case now. Young women are stronger. And they're prouder of their bodies.”
A moment of silence for those who underestimated Kate Winslet, because she is the GOAT.
