Kate Winslet: I Chose to Do ‘Small’ Movies After ‘Titanic’ Because ‘Being Famous Was Horrible’
Christian Zilko
Over a quarter century has passed since the release of “Titanic” turned Kate Winslet into a superstar, but she hasn’t forgotten the negative impact that the film’s success had on her mental health.
In a new interview with Net-A-Porter, Winslet reflected on the massive boost of fame that she received from starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in James Cameron’s blockbuster. While she appreciated the financial benefits and career opportunities that came with it, she revealed that the constant media attention began to wear on her. The experience prompted her to devote her attention to working on smaller films.
“I felt like I had to look a certain way, or be a certain thing, and because media intrusion was so significant at that time, my life was quite unpleasant,” Winslet said. “Journalists would always say, ‘After ‘Titanic,’ you could have done anything and yet you chose to do these small things. And I was like, ‘Yeah, you bet your fucking life I did! Because, guess what, being famous was horrible.’ I was grateful, of course. I was in my early twenties, and I was able to get a flat. But I didn’t want to be followed literally feeding the ducks.”
But despite the intrusions on her personal life as a young actress, Winslet went on to say that she remains grateful to have been a part of the film. She explained that she now appreciates the passion that fans have for the movie, even if it means she can never take another boat ride in peace.
“I wear it really lightly,” she said of her fame. “It’s not a burden, any of it. [‘Titanic’] continues to bring people huge amounts of joy. The only time I am like, ‘Oh god, hide’, is if we are on a boat somewhere.”
This is not the first time Winslet has spoken about the downsides of her “Titanic” fame. In a 2022 interview, the actress recalled being hurt by the negative remarks that many people in the entertainment industry made about her weight following the film’s release.
“Apparently I was too fat,” she said, before reflecting on how she would have handled such treatment from media if it happened today. “I would have said to journalists, I would have responded, I would have said, ‘Don’t you dare treat me like this. I’m a young woman, my body is changing, I’m figuring it out, I’m deeply insecure, I’m terrified, don’t make this any harder than it already is.’ That’s bullying, you know, and actually borderline abusive, I would say.”
