Why Kate Winslet's Titanic Fame Was A 'Horrible' Experience
Fame can be a fickle mistress. Sure, money often comes with said fame — and with it, you could buy several ponies or perhaps a houseboat. Still, you can barely leave the house without being accosted by either fans or paparazzi and according to Kate Winslet, it's even more difficult when you're young. In an interview with Net-a-Porter to promote her upcoming series "The Regime," Winslet opened up about how her first major role as Rose DeWitt Bukater deeply affected her as a young performer and how her overnight fame made her life unpleasant for a time.
"It's different now," Winslet said, discussing the early days of her stardom. "Mia [Winslet's daughter who's also an actor] is very much her own person. [Young women now] know how to use their voice." As she put it, working on "Titanic" in her early 20s 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."
Winslet says that journalists frequently commented on the fact that after "Titanic," she stuck to smaller independent films like the 2000 period drama "Quills" or the 2001 biopic "Iris." As she revealed, that was the point. "I was like, 'Yeah, you bet your f***** life I did! Because, guess what, being famous was horrible.' I was grateful, of course. I was in my early twenties, and I was able to get a flat. But I didn't want to be followed literally feeding the ducks."
Leonardo DiCaprio's friendship helped Kate Winslet grapple with early fame
With all of that said, Kate Winslet was quite clear with the outlet, saying that it's not as if she suffered permanently due to the fame and fortune she earned from "Titanic." Yes, her day-to-day life changed at, but she said fame doesn't feel like such a difficulty now. "Oh, it's such a ridiculous word! I wear it really lightly," Winslet said. "It's not a burden, any of it. [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."
At that point, interviewer Pandora Sykes brought up Winslet's "Titanic" co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, who appeared as her star-crossed love interest Jack Dawson in the massive film — specifically to ask if Winslet is aware of the meme that reads, "Find yourself someone who looks at you the way Leo looks at Kate." DiCaprio and Winslet have been extremely close friends since they worked on "Titanic" together, and Winslet said in this interview that the reason their connection remains so strong is because they experienced the enormous "Titanic" fame together when they were young.
"[He's looking at me like that because] he just knows I can see right through it all." Winslet said. "I think when you experience something so seismic, so young ... we really went through that together."
After all these years, Kate Winslet has no regrets about her career
Since "Titanic," Kate Winslet has become one of the most celebrated and in-demand performers in the entertainment industry. As Net-a-Porter notes, she's won five Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, and one Academy Award as of this profile, and she has appeared in well over 30 films. With that in mind, Pandora Sykes concluded her interview with Winslet by asking if the actress regretted anything in her career — including any projects she might have turned down.
"I have been so thrilled for the person [who has] done it," Winslet said regarding any roles she's lost or declined. "No regrets. None at all. I just don't think like that." (This is Winslet's official statement on the record, but it's important to remember that she appeared in "Movie 43.").
In any case, Winslet's level of fame is manageable now that she's not in her 20s anymore, and fans of the iconic "Titanic" actor can tune in to see her in action when "The Regime" premieres on HBO on March 3.