Kate Winslet Revealed That Fame Really Wasn't That Fun After 'Titanic' Success
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When Titanic was released in 1997, it was not only a box office hit, but it also made superstars out of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Wherever they went, the paparazzi and fans followed. While that sounds like an exciting time in their lives, the 48-year-old actress revealed that it wasn’t exactly fun — it was stressful.
“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,” she shared with PORTER magazine. Instead of choosing to star in big Hollywood blockbusters, Winslet went a different route, which she was sometimes criticized for. “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 life I did! Because guess what, being famous was horrible,'” she noted.
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Winslet is at peace with her perspective after 27 years and she can see the positive elements now, too. “It’s not a burden, any of it,” she added. “[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.” The Oscar winner’s joy was likely ripped away from her during Titanic‘s success because she was body-shamed during the process, and we don’t blame her for struggling with the negativity.
Some fans called her “too fat” and that’s why there wasn’t any room for DiCaprio’s character Jack to lay on the door and survive the sinking of the ship. Isn’t it awful? Why were they so mean to me? They were so mean,” Winslet remarked on the Happy Sad Confused podcast in 2022. “I wasn’t even f**king fat.” Winslet feels empowered now and wishes she could “turn back the clock” and fight back over people’s unfounded criticism.
“I would have used my voice in a completely different way. 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,” she said firmly. While Titanic brought many good things to her Hollywood career, it’s understandable why Winslet has avoided the limelight. People’s cruel words shaped an entire part of Winslet’s life, but now, she’s changing the narrative.
Before you go, click here for more celebrities who’ve spoken out about being body-shamed.
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