Kate Winslet has opened up about a painful moment from her youth, revealing that a drama teacher once told her she would have to accept “fat girl parts” if she wanted to succeed as an actress. Winslet shared the story during a recent appearance on Desert Island Discs, according to Deadline.
Now 50, the Oscar-winning actress said the comment was made when she was a child pursuing acting seriously and had just signed with an agent. “I was a little bit stocky when I started taking it much more seriously and got a child agent. I really remember vividly a drama teacher vividly… and she said to me, ‘Well, darling, you’ll have a career if you’re ready to settle for the fat girl parts,’” Winslet recalled.
Looking back, she said the remark still stings. “Look at me now,” she added. “It’s appalling the things people say to children.” Winslet has discussed the incident before, including during an emotional interview on 60 Minutes that aired in December 2024. During that conversation, she pushed back strongly against the label that had been placed on her.
“I was never even fat!” Winslet said at the time. Rather than breaking her confidence, the criticism became fuel. Winslet explained that the experience gave her a “quiet determination” to prove her detractors wrong. “It made me think, ‘I’ll just show you –– just quietly,’” she said.
Over the years, she has also confronted people who body-shamed her early in her career. “I let them have it,” Winslet said. “I said, ‘I hope this haunts you.’ It was a great moment. 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.”
Earlier this month, Winslet also voiced concerns about modern beauty standards, particularly the growing popularity of weight-loss drugs. Speaking to The Times, she said she appreciates seeing actresses “dressed how they want, whichever shape,” but worries about how many people are turning to medication to change their bodies.
“Some are making choices to be themselves, others do everything they can to not be themselves,” she said. “And do they know what they are putting in? The disregard for one’s health is terrifying. It bothers me now more than ever. It is f–king chaos out there.”
Winslet added that she has not undergone cosmetic procedures and embraces natural aging. “My favorite thing is when your hands get old,” she said. “That’s life, in your hands.”
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