Kate Winslet says she was told to settle for the ‘fat girl roles’ early in her career

What can you say about someone like Kate Winslet, who is as talented as she is beautiful and has been an A-list actress in Hollywood since most of us were wearing braces? She’s ethereal, she’s powerful, she’s funny, and she’s darn smart. Unfortunately, during her early days in Hollywood, she faced some serious negativity about her body when auditioning for roles.

Apparently, the upper echelon of Hollywood used to advise Kate Winslet to stick to the “fat girl” roles, and even went so far as to refer to her by the cruel nickname “Blubber.”

If your jaw is to the floor right now and you’re asking yourself, “Do their eyeballs operate like funhouse mirrors?” you’re not alone. But such was the time (and honestly, has much really changed when it comes to body positivity in Hollywood? Perhaps, if anything, they just keep the loud part a little quieter these days.).

Also, what’s wrong with “fat girl roles?” Hmmm, Hollywood? Can fat people not live fulfilling lives? Can they not go on adventures? Can they not find love? How dehumanizing. And gross.

And despite the fact that it was she, not Leonardo DiCaprio who was nominated for an Oscar for Titanic and she’s given nothing but powerhouse performances since, she was not immune to the slander. Her daughter, 22-year-old Mia Threapleton, has begun her own acting career and Winslet is very protective of her because of her tender age.

“Just because I am high-profile,” Winslet explained. “It doesn’t mean I’m not affected. I don’t have a protective force field. I mustn’t talk specifics because I must be careful with Mia’s privacy, but young adults are going through something incredibly hard. I don’t have a magic wand, but as a parent, you try to do the right thing.”

One can only imagine the anxiety and dread she must feel, wondering if her beloved daughter will have to endure the same public scrutiny she did.

“There are times in your child’s life when nothing you can do or say is right. You just want them to be happy, but the pressures of the world are enormous. There’s nothing you can do to keep them safe,” Winslet added.

Fortunately, Winslet believes the industry has changed for the better.

“When I was younger, my agent would get calls saying, ‘How’s her weight?’ I kid you not. So it’s heartwarming that this has started to change.”

Um…EXCUSE ME? While this is in no way surprising, it’s almost unbelievable that she was able to endure that, repeatedly, and continue her career making top-notch entertainment and garnering accolades for her talent. Because, frankly, no matter how much I loved my craft, hearing what her experience was like makes me want to crawl into the fetal position and never get up.

Winslet feels that younger generations of women are already proving that they’re not going to stand for what their foremothers had to deal with. (It’s also worth mentioning that Gen Z and the Alpha generation have privileges that previous generations of women didn’t.)

“My daughter’s generation has the ability to speak for themselves,” Winslet says. “They have already learned that they will be heard. Obviously, not in every situation, but they know how to use their voice—especially young women. That’s striking to me. When I was younger, you spoke when spoken to. That is not the case now. Young women are stronger. And they’re prouder of their bodies.”

A version of this story was published in December 2022. It has been updated.