When Kate Winslet was a young girl with acting aspirations, people made fun of her weight and told her she should settle for “fat girl” jobs. And despite the fact that movies like Titanic helped her establish herself as a leading woman, the English actress tells the Sunday Times that the public’s focus on her physique was impossible to avoid.
“When I was younger my agency would receive calls saying, ‘How’s her weight?’” shares the Oscar winner, who says today that “as a middle-aged woman I care about becoming that actor that moves their face and has a body that jiggles.” “When I was younger my agent would get calls saying, ‘How’s her weight?’” At the age of 47, she has the perspective that the film industry has made strides over the years toward not focusing as much on weight as it used to. Winslet describes this shift as “warming” to her heart.
However, because Winslet is the parent of an actor’s daughter, Mia Threapleton, who is 22 years old and stars with her in the new British television drama I Am Ruth, Winslet is concerned about the amount of pressure that is placed on young people by social media and internet culture. Although the star of “Sense and Sensibility” was no stranger to tabloid interest in her personal life, she did not come of age during the time when TMZ or Deux Moi were prevalent in the entertainment industry.
She mentions the British tabloid when she says, “It was hard enough having the flipping News of the World on my doorstep, but that’s not even going to cut it now.” [Citation needed] “There is no such thing as the saying ‘today’s news will be tomorrow’s fish and chip paper.’ What was it that you did when you were either intoxicated or acting foolishly? It could come back to bother you in the future. When it comes to young actors, there are certain considerations that must be taken into account. It must be an incredibly challenging task.”
The film I Am Ruth, in which Winslet and Threapleton play a mother and daughter, examines the ways in which that pressure can have negative effects on young people’s self-images and how they perceive themselves.
The actress, who shares her daughter Mia with her first husband Jim Threapleton, has stated that “Mia and I absolutely had in real life some of those conversations in I Am Ruth.” “But so have the majority of the mothers I know who are raising teenagers,” she said. Friends of mine have been through living hell on a knife’s edge, and these days, in my capacity as an actor, I make it a point to look for parts that throw light on subjects that are tough to discuss. That was one of them.”
Winslet has been quoted as saying, “Just because I am high-profile does not imply that I am not affected.” “I do not possess a force field that can defend me. I can’t go into specifics because I have to protect Mia’s privacy, but young adults are experiencing something that is extraordinarily challenging right now. I do not own a magic wand, but as a parent, you always try to act in the most responsible manner possible.
She goes on to warn that there will be times in the life of your child when nothing you can do or say will be appropriate. “All you want is for them to have a happy life, yet the demands of the outside world are so great.” There is absolutely nothing you can do to protect them from harm.
However, the star of Mare of Easttown isn’t completely pessimistic about Generation Z.
She makes the observation that people of the generation of her daughter are able to speak up for themselves. They have already acquired the knowledge that they will be listened to. Certainly not in each and every circumstance, but notably young women have learned how to effectively utilize their voices. That has had a profound impact on me. When I was younger, you would only respond when you were asked. However, it is no longer the case. Young women have more resilience. And they are more pleased with the way their bodies look.”
