Kate Winslet opens up about body shaming in Hollywood

Kate Winslet opens up about body shaming in Hollywood (Photo: iStock)

Kate Winslet has spoken out about her experience with body shaming and Hollywood's unrealistic beauty standards. 

In a recent interview on CBS News' 60 Minutes, the 49-year-old actress revealed the harsh criticism she faced early in her career, including being ridiculed for her weight and demeaned by a drama teacher.

Winslet recalled an incident where an interviewer insulted her appearance, saying it looked like she was "melted and poured" into her red carpet gown.

“It was absolutely appalling,” she said. “What kind of person does that to a young actress just trying to figure things out?”

Reflecting on the criticism, Winslet said she has confronted some of her detractors directly. “I let them have it. I said, ‘I hope this haunts you.’ It was a great moment—not just for me, but for everyone who has faced that kind of harassment,” she shared.

The actress also spoke about an encounter with a drama teacher who once told her, “If you’re going to look like this, you’ll have to settle for the fat girl parts.”

Laughing at the memory, Winslet clarified, “I was never even fat.” She added that those comments fueled her determination, saying, “It made me think, ‘I’ll just show you—quietly.’”

Winslet went on to criticise the double standards in Hollywood, especially regarding beauty. “People say, ‘You were so brave for not wearing makeup or having wrinkles in a role.’ Do we say that to men? No, we don’t.”

The Titanic star ended by saying she no longer cares about public opinion, calling the pressure to meet these standards “exhausting.”