Kate Winslet is opening up about painful body-shaming experiences she faced as a young aspiring actor. The Oscar-winning star, now promoting her directorial feature debut Goodbye June, revealed during a recent BBC Radio 4 interview that she was told she would only succeed in show business if she accepted stereotypes about her body.
Drama teacher told teenage Winslet she’d “settle for fat girl parts”
Winslet said she was still a teenager when a drama teacher offered discouraging — and insulting — advice.
“I remember vividly a drama teacher saying, ‘You’ll have a career if you’re ready to settle for the fat girl parts,’” she recalled.
Winslet described herself as “a little bit stocky” at the time and said the remark stayed with her throughout her early career.
“Look at me now,” she added during the broadcast, reflecting both humor and pain. “It’s appalling the things people say to children.”
Body-shaming experiences continued into adulthood
This is not the first time Winslet has spoken about microaggressions and pressure related to physical appearance. In 2024, the actor disclosed that a crew member suggested she “sit up straighter” during a bikini scene for the WWII film Lee to hide her “belly rolls.”
Winslet has consistently advocated for authenticity and pushed back against unrealistic beauty standards. She publicly criticized digitally altered magazine covers as early as 2003 and has continued to speak out against body editing in Hollywood and media.
Industry bias still persists, she says
Winslet said she still encounters gendered comments, particularly in her recent work as a director. She noted that people have told her, “Don’t forget to be confident in your choices,” advice she believes would not be given to a male director.
“I want to say, ‘Don’t talk to me about confidence.’ It’s one thing I haven’t ever lacked,” Winslet said.
Her remarks add to ongoing conversations about how women filmmakers are treated on set and in executive interactions.
Press intrusion added to pressures after Titanic
Winslet also reflected on the overwhelming media attention that followed the release of Titanic in 1997, when she was thrust into global fame almost overnight.
“It was horrific,” she said, describing reporters allegedly tapping her phone and following her constantly. “I was terrified to go to sleep.”
She said she lacked support systems at the time and found sudden fame isolating. Today, Winslet uses her platform to push back against toxic industry expectations and promote a culture that values mental well-being and authentic self-acceptance. As she prepares for the release of Goodbye June, Winslet continues to emphasize the need for change — in casting, representation, and the ways performers are spoken to on and off set.
