The six influential actors who taught Kate Winslet everything she needed to know
In an industry as cutthroat and brutal as Hollywood, it is important to surround yourself with people who stand by your side and see you for who you really are.
Appearances and facades can become jumbled up in the performance of everyday life, with people losing themselves when thrust into the spotlight for too long. It can become hard to differentiate between what is real and what is just another side effect of a very two-sided industry, forcing you to keep your wits about you before you lose sight of who you once were.
As a result, there are very few stars who manage to remain authentic and humble, somehow not disappearing beneath the pedestal that the industry places them on and acting like a normal, everyday person. One person who has managed to this, and remains an icon of grace in such a tumultuous business, is Kate Winslet, who described the six other women who taught her the most about how to navigate a life in the spotlight.
First, Winslet described the influence of her former co-star and queen of British acting royalty, Judie Dench, saying that Judi Dench “taught me how to act”. The pair starred alongside each other in a 1996 performance of Hamlet, with Winslet still being a relative newcomer to the industry and being graced with the opportunity to learn from a British acting icon.
Julie Christie was another who helped Winslet along her Hollywood journey, with Winslet saying, “Julie Christie taught me how to stand correctly and how to remain poised under pressure.” The pair also worked together in the same production of Hamlet, with Christie being renowned for arthouse projects like Don’t Look Now and Darling.
Winslet is often categorised within a similar vein to Emma Thompson, with the pair unsurprisingly becoming fast friends. Winslet said, “Emma Thompson, my friend, taught me about being well-behaved and generous.” There is no doubt that Winslet has taken a leaf from Thompson’s book in this regard, always championing kindness in an industry that hasn’t always shown this to her.
The actor also described the impact that Kathy Bates, Jodie Foster and Judy Davis had on her. She described Foster’s tenacity and importance in helping her learn to “stick to my guns”, as well as Bates’ fluid approach to any given scene and Davis’ fearlessness.
For Winslet, working alongside these women was the greatest lesson of all. Spending time amongst those who inspire us can change us in irreparable ways, leading us to alter our perspective and infuse our own with the wisdom of others who have a variety of differing experiences. In show business, sometimes you just need a guiding light to help you see the path that is meant for you.
Winslet said, “All of these women have taught me about determination, strength and stamina, being properly prepared to play a role, but most importantly and above all else, about looking out for one another.”
Concluding, “It’s through these women that I have learned about sisterhood in the working world, which today could not be more crucial. Indeed, we must depend on it.”
The six actors who inspired Kate Winslet:
- Judi Dench
- Julie Christie
- Emma Thompson
- Kathy Bates
- Jodie Foster
- Judy Davis
