Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet feels that life is “better” with a “good meal and a bit of Radiohead,” among other small joys that helped her cope with unwanted attention.
Reflecting on the “horrific” intrusion into her personal life during her younger years, Winslet spoke about her experiences while promoting her role as director in the film “Goodbye June.” She discussed how, amidst the scrutiny that accompanied the breakdown of one of her marriages, she found comfort in simple pleasures.
During her appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Winslet shared how she managed the relentless attention. “A good meal, a shared conversation, a nice cup of coffee, a bit of Radiohead, and a good poo”—these were her strategies for fostering joy. She emphasized, “You know, life’s all the better for those things.”
The actress opened up about her struggles with body image while filming “Titanic” in her early 20s. She admitted that her life was “totally turned upside down” when the film released, making her a global star and leaving her “terrified” to sleep due to the invasion of her privacy. Winslet recounted, “I wasn’t ready for that world. It was horrific. There were people tapping my phone. They were just everywhere. And I was just on my own. I was terrified to go to sleep.”
Winslet also recalled advice she received early in her acting career which conditioned her expectations. A drama teacher had suggested she should be content with playing “fat-girl parts” if she wanted to succeed as an actress. She remembered, “I was a little bit stocky, when I did start taking it much more seriously and got a child agent I really remember vividly a drama teacher … she said to me, ‘Well, darling, you’ll have a career if you’re ready to settle for the fat girl parts.’ Look at me now. It’s appalling the things people say to children.”
Expressing her thoughts on the film industry, Winslet noted there’s still “so much we have to unlearn” regarding how women are spoken to in film. She pointed out that as a first-time director, she was subjected to remarks that she felt would never be directed at a man. “They might say things like, ‘Don’t forget to be confident in your choices.’ And I want to sort of say, ‘Don’t talk to me about confidence,’ because if that’s one thing I haven’t ever lacked, actually, it’s exactly that. That person wouldn’t say that to a man.”