“Life is f--king short,” according to Kate Winslet. And no, the observation isn’t some sort of #TBT nod to the untimely passing of former character’s lover, Jack, in the Titanic (although his life was, indeed, short). Rather, it has everything to do with life as she currently knows it. In a new
Vanity Fair profile, Winslet is giving us an unfiltered take — because quarantine has, it would seem, given Winslet a lot to think about. The Oscar-winner, who is currently promoting the powerful same-sex love story,
Ammonite, speaks to her career-defining role as Mary Anning in the film, ‘the new normal’, the parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and her film
Contagion, and her stance on Hollywood stereotypes and the ongoing #MeToo movement. Notably, she admits to asking herself, “What the f--k was I doing working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski?”Winslet noted that her work on
Ammonite opened her eyes to the way Hollywood perpetuates the traditional setups around romantic ideals on screen, and the importance of telling stories that normalize and express same-sex love without hesitation or fear or secrecy. “It made me question whether, in the past, I was just complacent and just rolled with tradition in that sort of automatic way that we all sometimes do. When a woman takes the lead in a movie, it’s always written that she is feisty or taking control… Why can’t she just be turned on? Why can’t she just know what she wants?” Winslet said, before noting that her experience playing Mary Anning in
Ammonite made her look at things differently. “It made me feel a little bit mad at myself that maybe I haven’t taken enough responsibility for how I might have allowed a character to be portrayed in heterosexual relationships onscreen in the past.”When asked if the #MeToo movement played any part in this realization, Winslet explained, “
Ammonite has made me really aware of being even more committed to honouring what women want to be saying for themselves in films and how we really want to be portrayed, regardless of sexual orientation. Because life is f--king short and I’d like to do my best when it comes to setting a decent example to younger women.” Winslet went on to address her past decisions to work with men whose names are now synonymous with the #MeToo reckoning, and discussions surrounding the rampant abuse of Hollywood power and influence against women. “It’s like, what the f*ck was I doing working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski? It’s unbelievable to me now how those men were held in such high regard, so widely in the film industry and for as long as they were.” [video_embed id='1594668']WATCH: Kate Winslet is returning to TV[/video_embed]In the past, Winslet has defended her decision to work with Polanski and Allen, noting that she had an extraordinary working experience with both men. But now? She isn’t holding back, and she isn’t shying away from the responsibility of her position, either. “It’s f--king disgraceful,” she says. “And I have to take responsibility for the fact that I worked with them both. I can’t turn back the clock. I’m grappling with those regrets but what do we have if we aren’t able to just be fucking truthful about all of it?”As for her take on quarantine life, well, it’s not all bad. “The focus more than anything has been getting the kids safely back at school. I’m trundling along with life. Obviously, we’re not just like everyone else because we live in a nice house, and we’re comfortable… We’re just so lucky and don’t have anything to f--king complain about ever, frankly.” Winslet also admits she’s quite in favour of the now-mandated shift away from "colossal, great big" press junkets. Why? Well, for one, her wardrobe is far more comfortable. “Actually I’m wearing an old bathrobe because, to be completely honest with you, none of my pants fit me at the moment.”Same, Kate. Same. [video_embed id='-1']WATCH: Pup gets sad every time owner gets dressed for work[/video_embed]
