Kate Winslet Holds Back Tears Recalling Being Called ‘Fat’ During Her ‘Titanic’ Era

Kate Winslet broke down while remembering being body-shamed by critics at the peak of the 1997 film Titanic. 

The actress, 49, who starred as Rose DeWitt Bukater in the classic movie, revealed what it was like to be judged for her appearance during a 60 Minutes interview on Dec. 1. 

While discussing her character in the film, Winslet was shown a clip from the 1998 Golden Globes red carpet in which a host can be heard saying that the actress looked  “a little melted and poured into” her dress and that she “needed two sizes larger and she’d be OK.”

Reacting to the old footage, the star said, “It’s absolutely appalling. What kind of a person must they be to do something like that to a young actress who’s just trying to figure it out?”

As claimed by Winslet, these comments were few of many that she received after Titanic hit theaters. 

While the actress said she never publicly scolded critics for their harsh remarks, she did get “face to face” with some. 

“I let them have it. I said, ‘I hope this haunts you,’” she recalled. “It was a great moment because it wasn’t just for me; it was for all those people who were subjected to that level of harassment. It was horrific. It was really bad.”

Winslet started receiving comments about her body early on in her career, recalling her teacher telling her she would have to come to terms with being “fat.”

“I was never even fat,” she said. “It made me think, ‘I’ll just show you — just quietly.’”

More recently, Winslet starred in Lee – a biopic that focuses on photojournalist Lee Miller as she documented events of World War II for Vogue. The actress noted that she had to put on “armor” for the role. 

The star thought back to a time on set when a crew member suggested that she “suck in and sit up” to avoid showing “lumps.” However, Winslet said she refused to hide herself, saying, “I don’t think Lee would’ve done [that]. It’s about knowing Lee’s ease with her physical self was hard won.”

Winslet pointed out the film industry’s unrealistic beauty standards for women. “Do we say to the men, ‘Oh, you were so brave for this role. You grew a beard?’ No. We don’t. It’s not brave. It’s playing the part,” she said.

Winslet sustained a serious leg injury while making the film.