Kate Winslet said her drama teacher once told her she had to settle for “fat girl roles” because of her body type.
According to Deadline, she revealed that she received harsh criticism during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs when she was younger.
Winslet, now 50, recalled being “stubby” as a child.
“I was a little pudgy, but when I started getting more serious and hired a child agent, I vividly remember my drama teacher…and she said to me, ‘Well, darling, if you’re ready to be happy with the role of a fat girl, you’ve got a career,'” she said.
“Look at me now,” she reflected. “It’s a horrible thing people say to children.”
Winslet has previously spoken out about the incident. During an interview on “60 Minutes” to be aired in December 2024, I was overcome with emotion as I remembered the words of my drama teacher.
“I was never even fat!” Winslet said.
That comment ultimately motivated her, and she recalled that she gained “quiet determination” from the criticism.
“I looked at it and thought, ‘I’ll just quietly show you,'” she explained.
The “Titanic” star also said she faced fat shamers.
“I let them have it,” she shared. “I said, ‘I hope this bothers you.’ It was a great moment. It was a great moment because it wasn’t just for me. It was for all the people who were subjected to that level of harassment. It was scary. It was really bad.”
Earlier this month, the British actress criticized the popularity of weight loss pills.
Winslet told the Times that she enjoys seeing actresses “dress the way they want, in whatever body shape they have,” but noted that “so many people” are taking weight-loss drugs.
“Some people are making choices to be who they are, and some people are doing everything in their power to not be who they are,” she says.
“And do they know what they’re doing? Neglecting their own health is horrible,” she continued. “I’m more troubled now than ever. The world is a terrible mess.”
Winslet said she has not had any cosmetic surgery.
“What I love most is aging my hands,” she told the magazine. “Your life is in your hands. Some of the most beautiful women I know are over 70 years old. What upsets me is that young women don’t really have the concept of what beautiful is.”
