Now 45, the actress is fed up with red carpets and first-class travel. She is determined to keep her feet on the ground — and change the industry
When Winslet was younger appalling things were said in the tabloids about her weight. Has she seen the recent documentary about Britney Spears, another young star at the turn of the century hung out to dry? “I’m scared to because I know how angry and upset it will make me.” Some of the most shocking scenes in that film, though — about how the media treats its stars — were only 15 years old. Hardly a lifetime. It makes one think how, 15 years from now, we will be judged by future generations.“
I do hope social media has a reboot, in terms of accuracy of images,” Winslet says. “Because eating disorders and self-harm have gone through the roof, and social media, for young people, must play a part in that. This feeling that they can never be enough of something. It’s tampering with self-esteem. Also, I say to my children that their kids will say, ‘People drank milk from a cow? That’s coming. ‘Milk? From a cow?’ ” She takes a pause. “And I do believe the issue of there not being enough LGBTQ stories in our mainstream is on the brink of change . . .”
She stated, “I cannot tell you the number of young actors I know — some well known, some starting out — who are terrified their sexuality will be revealed and that it will stand in the way of their being cast in straight roles. Now that’s f***ed up.” At this she jabs a stripy pencil at the screen. “I’m telling you. A well-known actor has just got an American agent and the agent said, ‘I understand you are bisexual. I wouldn’t publicise that.’ I can think of at least four actors absolutely hiding their sexuality. It’s painful. Because they fear being found out. And that’s what they say. ‘I don’t want to be found out.’ ” Are we talking about men or women? “Men more than anything. It’s bad news.”
When Winslet was 17 she was cast in Heavenly Creatures. She cannot imagine what her perception of the industry would have been had Peter Jackson asked to know her sexuality. If she had had to share private information about her preferences and experiences publicly, that may have affected her career. She wonders aloud if she would have been cast in Titanic.
That was 28 years ago — Winslet is 45. Surely the next generation, into gender fluidity more than ever before, will not stand for the idea that sexuality is a barrier to a role? “But Hollywood has to drop that dated crap of, ‘Can he play straight because, apparently, he’s gay?’” she says. “That should be almost illegal. You would not believe how widespread it is. And it can’t just be distilled to the question about gay actors playing gay parts. Because actors, in some cases, are choosing not to come out for personal reasons. And it’s nobody’s business. Perhaps privacy. Perhaps conditioning and shame.”
So what could make the industry less discriminating? “It takes more people to speak the way I am,” she says. “People are afraid because we live in a world where political correctness is dictating people’s willingness to be upfront. We live in a finger-pointing culture. And I definitely feel that holding myself accountable, as I have done, for having worked with Woody [Allen, for Wonder Wheel] and Roman [Polanski, for Carnage] has helped me feel like I am allowed to have a voice again. For a number of years it wasn’t right for me to speak like this because there would be too many people getting ready with their big pointy fingers. I don’t intend to browbeat or take on Hollywood. We’re just talking about young actors who might be considering joining this profession, and finding a way to make it more open. For there to be less judgment, discrimination and homophobia.”
So there needs to be a #MeToo moment for attitudes towards the LGBTQ community in Hollywood? She nods. “It needs its own movement.”
Hollywood, though, is changing. The critic John Berger, to paraphrase, said that without glamour there is no envy, and in a year without premieres or live awards shows there has been less to be envious about in the film industry. As you can imagine, Winslet is up for this. She talks with disgust about the fuel and staff to get her around: first-class flights to be on a US chat show; trays of uneaten buffet food. She is delighted that she could record The Graham Norton Show from home and believes that the power to keep this adjustment permanent is in the actors’ hands.“
Trust me,” she says. “I don’t think I can ever wear high heels again. We’ll see more women wearing flat shoes and pant suits on red carpets — and that’s good. It’s quite a lot of pressure, wearing a red-carpet dress, if you’ve got your period or you ate too much bread the week before.”
When her children were younger Winslet shielded them from her fame. If she was on a magazine cover they would take a different route to school, to avoid the stands. When they went for playdates the actress would remind the parents that her kids had not seen Titanic and they do not really talk about her job. They knew what she did for a living, but were given no indication of the impact it can have.
It worked. Winslet recently did an online Q&A and Joe asked how many people were attending. She said 400 and Joe said, “That’s loads! Brilliant, Mum. Well done!” Mia found out that her mother made Michael Winterbottom’s Jude only when someone who worked on it with Winslet told her. She had never told her children about Jude.
They come across old scripts — Eternal Sunshine is colour-coded, looks like an experiment. She was annoyed that her eldest two watched that for the first time without her. She wants to share her career with them now, so when it comes to the marriage collapse drama Revolutionary Road, the plan is for her second husband, Sam Mendes — its director — and Winslet to watch it with Joe, their son. Love to be a fly on the wall for that.“
I’ve just never rammed it down their throats,” she says. “I just don’t go on about it. I go to work. It’s hard and difficult and, when I come home, I don’t want it to be hard and difficult any more. I want to snuggle up, read them James and the Giant Peach and have some toast.”
Mia, 20, has started acting. She uses the surname of her dad, Winslet’s first husband, Jim Threapleton. Is Winslet happier Mia is entering the industry now, as opposed to the 1990s, when she started out? “Yes,” she replies bluntly. “She’s like most 20-year-olds — self-conscious, really wants to do a good job.
She also has me as her mum so knows the perception there may be. But in any case, she has a confidence in her acting style that I didn’t have. I got caught thinking, ‘How am I supposed to be? How should my hair be?’ Mia’s not like that! There’s a freedom of spirit I sense from her generation that is different.”
“And,” she continues, “that is exciting. As it’s not my generation that’s going to change the world. It’s the next. But if we’re able to keep feeding stories that nourish the conversations, it does make me feel I’m doing my bit and handing over the baton.” She pauses, “Not that I’m ready to hand it over. But, at least, maybe start sharing it a bit more.”
