Kate Winslet Slams Body-Shamers: “Brave is Going to the Front Line, Not Going Topless”

Kate Winslet has recently taken a stand against body-shamers, criticizing the public scrutiny she faced throughout her acting career. On the How to Fail podcast, the Titanic star opened up about her experiences with body image and the pressures of Hollywood.

Reflecting on her early career, Winslet revealed that she never focused on her physical appearance before entering the film industry. “Had I stood up for myself more, and been clear and called people out for abusive language, actually, it may have in turn given other actresses the inspiration to do the same,” she said. Winslet shared her experience from her role in Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility when she was just 19. She recalled, “I was actually little anyway. I remember having my measurements taken and the costume designer going ‘Cor! 26-and-a-half-inch waist!’”

The actress admitted she was unaware of what constituted small or large measurements at the time. “I didn’t have a clue. But I do remember I was actually fairly petite,” she noted. Winslet explained that the 1990s brought with it unrealistic expectations for women’s body sizes. “The Nineties [was a] strange time where it was thought that women were all meant to be a certain size,” she observed, told the independent.

Winslet described her early fame as a “really rough introduction” that instilled a lasting fear. “It was a really rough introduction into being famous and it put the fear of God in me,” she remarked. After Titanic, Winslet made a conscious decision to take on smaller roles as she navigated her personal and professional growth. “After Titanic, I made active choices to do the smallest things I could find while I was learning who I was,” she said.

In a recent interview, Winslet also addressed the notion of bravery in the context of her latest film, Lee, where she appears topless. She criticized viewers who deemed her courageous for not undergoing a Hollywood exercise regime before filming. “Brave is going to the front line. Brave is being an NHS nurse during Covid. It’s not flipping brave to go topless or have no makeup or no Botox…That’s just being a real person,” Winslet stated.

The actress further clarified her approach to fitness, emphasizing its role in maintaining health rather than appearance. “I don’t want my body to break down. I don’t want to get injured. So, for me, exercise is not actually about looking a certain way. It’s about not getting injured,” she explained.