Why we’re crushing hard on Kate Winslet
The first time I – and probably most women my age – discovered the allure of Kate Winslet was when I saw the 1997 movie Titanic. I was 12 years old, and more than just a little obsessed with Leonardo DiCaprio. But even in my Leo-laden world, this beautiful, feisty character who won him over found room to place her stake as an absolute goddess whom I vowed to mimic every chance I got.
It would’ve been easy to hate on Winslet the umpteenth time I saw Titanic and, consequently, her opportunity to be macked on by my precious Leo. But Rose DeWitt Bukater was nothing if not relatable and humanly flawed alongside her ethereal beauty, with Kate Winslet being the one to make her so.
And almost 18 years later, Winslet’s goddess status has only skyrocketed. From being a ridiculously accomplished actress to not being afraid to speak her mind about how we women should buck society’s expectations of us and everything in between, we still can’t get enough of her in 2015.
Here’s just a smattering of the reasons why Kate Winslet is our #WCW!
She plays dramatic and funny equally well
A lot of actors kind of have a niche; they either tend to gravitate toward comedy or drama. An actor who can do both is such an awesome find, and Winslet is no exception. From darker dramas like Little Children and Revolutionary Road to light-hearted rom-coms like The Holiday (which was a surprising gem that I admittedly didn’t expect much from going in), Winslet’s range is nothing short of admirable. In my opinion, she especially shines in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind because she and Jim Carrey make such an electric on-screen team. After all, Carrey is another comedy-and-drama-pro actor.
She is a huge proponent of body positivity and embracing your natural self
As crazy as it is to think about considering how stunning and poised she is, Winslet used to be bullied in school for her looks and clothes. But luckily for us, she has used this experience to speak out about being proud of the skin you were born in and, in general, the person you are. For example (because she has talked about this a lot), on a recent episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, Winslet discussed how she unfortunately didn’t grow up with much positive body-image reinforcement from women in her life.
“I only heard negatives,” she said. “That’s very damaging because then you’re programmed as a young woman to immediately scrutinize yourself and how you look.”
Winslet also said that as a result of her upbringing and societal expectations, she strives to instill in her 14-year-old daughter Mia the idea of not having to fit the universal Hollywood standard of beauty.
“I stand in front of the mirror and say to Mia, ‘We are so lucky we have a shape. We’re so lucky we’re curvy. We’re so lucky that we’ve got good bums,’” Winslet added. “And she’ll say, ‘Mummy, I know, thank God.’” Hah! We love it. Parenting at its finest.
She is super close to EGOT status
Speaking of having so much talent it’s basically coming out of her ears, Winslet is just one award away from holding an EGOT – an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. She still needs the latter, which begs the question: How has she not gotten a Tony yet? And considering she’s obviously an amazing actress and has quite the singing voice, we know it’s only a matter of time. Broadway, are you listening?
She is hugely philanthropic
Between speaking out about the importance of having a healthy relationships with our bodies and being an all-around powerhouse talent to be reckoned with, Winslet somehow also finds time to donate to charitable organizations. Some of the causes she has been involved with include PETA and autism awareness. In fact, she’s so dedicated to the latter that she cofounded the Golden Hat Foundation non-profit organization, whose mission “is to change the way people on the autism spectrum are perceived, by shining a light on their abilities and emphasizing their great potential.”
Winslet even wrote a related book called The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism to raise awareness about the condition, and cites her experience narrating the 2009 documentary A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism as her inspiration behind becoming a voice for the cause. Wow.
She has the most adorable relationship with her bestie Leonardo DiCaprio
Any respectable shipper who grew up in the ’90s has at least, at some point, swooned over the idea of Winslet and her Titanic and Revolutionary Road costar, Leonardo DiCaprio. And can you blame us? The two have been close since before we can remember them being separate entities. They are notorious for yanking each other’s chains, but their love and admiration for each other runs so deep.
Case in point? Winslet’s words about DiCaprio in her 2009 acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, when she won “Best Actress – Motion Picture or Drama” for Revolutionary Road. THAT KISS HE BLOWS HER, THOUGH! Here’s hoping these two are BFFs for the rest of their lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkleDIUT_y0
We heart you big-time, Kate Winslet! Thanks for being such a great role model for girls and women alike, and continuing to light up our screens with your gorgeous face and talent.
(Image via Paramount Pictures)