An interview with Kate Winslet by Vogue magazine earlier this week revealed some real insight into her history and her mindset. The interview was about her upcoming film, “Lee”, which not for the first time in her career includes nudity. However, the interview is far more insightful than just a promo attempt.
Winslet talks about how she has been body shamed throughout her career. This started in her breakthrough role in Titanic where she was targeted by directors and critics for doing a nude scene despite being “the wrong shape” and was told she should “settle for less”. Her reaction to this shaming was “I wasn’t going to take that shit from anyone” and she has been doing nude scenes throughout her career to stand up to such bullies.
We salute such commitment to body positivity. Many of us have experienced such scathing comments and know the harm such treatment does to our confidence and mental health. Young people in particular are suffering a body dysmorphia pandemic because parts of society tell them their own bodies are not good enough. It takes guts to stand up to such sneers on such a public stage as Winslet has done and we can all take inspiration from the way she has always fought for ownership of her body. There is no “wrong shape”. EveryBody is beautiful, it is our diversity that makes us magnificent as human beings.
So if you are being told that your body does not meet some arbitrary standard, remember that everybody is being told that, even movie stars and all that really matters is ourselves.
Stand up and be the incredible person that you are.
vogue.com/article/kate-winslet-lee-miller-october-cover-2023-interview