Kate Winslet said a drama teacher once told her she would have to settle for “fat girl parts” because of her body type.
The actress shared that she was given the harsh criticism in her younger years during her appearance on the BBC Radio 4 show “Desert Island Discs,” per Deadline.
Winslet, now 50, recalled being “stocky” as a child.
“I was a little bit stocky, when I did start taking it much more seriously and got a child agent I really remember vividly a drama teacher … and she said to me, ‘Well, darling, you’ll have a career if you’re ready to settle for the fat girl parts,’” she said.
“Look at me now,” she reflected. “It’s appalling the things people say to children.”
Winslet has spoken about the incident before. During an interview with “60 Minutes” that aired in December 2024, she got emotional as she recalled the drama teacher’s words.
“I was never even fat!” Winslet said.
The comments ultimately gave her motivation, and she recalled gaining a “quiet determination” from the criticism.
“It made me think, ‘I’ll just show you –– just quietly,’” she explained.
The “Titanic” star also said she’d confronted some of her fat-shamers.
“I let them have it,” she shared. “I said, ‘I hope this haunts you.’ It was a great moment. It was a great moment, because it wasn’t just for me. It was for all those people who were subjected to that level of harassment. It was horrific. It was really bad.”
Earlier this month, the British actress criticized the popularity of weight-loss drugs.
Winslet told the Times that while she enjoys seeing actresses “dressed how they want, whichever shape,” she noted that “so many people” were also on weight-loss drugs.
“Some are making choices to be themselves, others do everything they can to not be themselves,” she said.
“And do they know what they are putting in? The disregard for one’s health is terrifying,” she continued. “It bothers me now more than ever. It is f–king chaos out there.”
Winslet noted that she hadn’t undergone any cosmetic procedures.
“My favorite thing is when your hands get old,” she told the outlet. “That’s life, in your hands. Some of the most beautiful women I know are over 70 and what upsets me is that young women have no concept of what being beautiful actually is.”
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