Spotlight on Kate Winslet
Her sense of fun is an example for all to follow.
| 12 Dec 2006
Kate Winslet has come a long way since Leonardo DiCaprio taught her how to spit on board the majestic decks of the R.M.S. Titanic. Despite strutting her stuff in thespian romps such as Sense and Sensibility and Hamlet, it looked as though she would forever be known as "Rose from Titanic".
However, ever since cruelly "letting go" of poor old Leo and his trouser braces to go grab herself a whistle, Kate's star has been on the up and up. With a string of credible performances in the likes of Holy Smoke and Enigma under her belt, Sam Mendes' better half then produced highly impressive displays in the mind-bendingly brilliant Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and in the sombre yet well-crafted Finding Neverland. Fresh from appearing in last month's Little Children, she turns up twice in December, first voicing a rodent in the Aardman animation, Flushed Away, and then opposite Jack Black in rom-com The Holiday.
Ultimately though, it was her performance in Ricky Gervais' hugely popular TV series Extras that has elevated her to cool cult actress status. Playing herself, Winslet starred as a saucy actress dispensing sex-tips and playing a nun in a Holocaust movie purely to gain an Oscar (four nominations so far, no wins). In doing so she refreshingly showed that, despite the fact that hob-knobbing with the upper echelons of Hollywood is a regular occurrence, she doesn't take herself or her occupation too seriously. With the obviously palpable tension of the Hollywood pressure cooker, so many big actors behave like high-maintenance divas and Winslet's sense of fun is an example for all to follow.
Equally impressive is the direction that she has chosen since her big break on the silver-screen. After starring as the heroine in James Cameron's sinking ship epic, it would have been easy for her to pick and choose movies where money was flung at her like CGI water. But, by deciding to forego big-budget popcorn movies and opting to work alongside seasoned actors like Kevin Spacey and Anthony Hopkins, she has forged an honest respectability that is quite unique. Has she completely escaped her "Rose from Titanic" pigeon hole? Almost definitely. Has she forged a genuinely impressive CV thus far? Unquestionably. Can she still toss out a respectable spit-ball? Don't rule it out.
FILMOGRAPHY
Little Children (2006) SSS
Finding Neverland (2004) SSSS
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) SSSSS
Iris (2002) SSSS
Quills (2000) SSSS
Titanic (1997) SSSSS
Sense and Sensibility (1995) SSSS
Heavenly Creatures (1994) SSSSS
However, ever since cruelly "letting go" of poor old Leo and his trouser braces to go grab herself a whistle, Kate's star has been on the up and up. With a string of credible performances in the likes of Holy Smoke and Enigma under her belt, Sam Mendes' better half then produced highly impressive displays in the mind-bendingly brilliant Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and in the sombre yet well-crafted Finding Neverland. Fresh from appearing in last month's Little Children, she turns up twice in December, first voicing a rodent in the Aardman animation, Flushed Away, and then opposite Jack Black in rom-com The Holiday.
Ultimately though, it was her performance in Ricky Gervais' hugely popular TV series Extras that has elevated her to cool cult actress status. Playing herself, Winslet starred as a saucy actress dispensing sex-tips and playing a nun in a Holocaust movie purely to gain an Oscar (four nominations so far, no wins). In doing so she refreshingly showed that, despite the fact that hob-knobbing with the upper echelons of Hollywood is a regular occurrence, she doesn't take herself or her occupation too seriously. With the obviously palpable tension of the Hollywood pressure cooker, so many big actors behave like high-maintenance divas and Winslet's sense of fun is an example for all to follow.
Equally impressive is the direction that she has chosen since her big break on the silver-screen. After starring as the heroine in James Cameron's sinking ship epic, it would have been easy for her to pick and choose movies where money was flung at her like CGI water. But, by deciding to forego big-budget popcorn movies and opting to work alongside seasoned actors like Kevin Spacey and Anthony Hopkins, she has forged an honest respectability that is quite unique. Has she completely escaped her "Rose from Titanic" pigeon hole? Almost definitely. Has she forged a genuinely impressive CV thus far? Unquestionably. Can she still toss out a respectable spit-ball? Don't rule it out.
FILMOGRAPHY
Little Children (2006) SSS
Finding Neverland (2004) SSSS
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) SSSSS
Iris (2002) SSSS
Quills (2000) SSSS
Titanic (1997) SSSSS
Sense and Sensibility (1995) SSSS
Heavenly Creatures (1994) SSSSS
Flushed Away is released 1 Dec.
The Holiday is released 8 Dec.
The Holiday is released 8 Dec.