Kate Winslet Calls Out ‘Borderline Abusive’ Media Comments Labeling Her ‘Fat’ After ‘Titanic’ Door Scene: ‘Why Were They So Mean to Me?’

Actress Kate Winslet is calling out the media critics who labeled her as “fat” after that infamous Titanic door scene.

On a recent episode of the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Winslet joined host Josh Horowitz to discuss her latest project Avatar: The Way of Water and her lengthy film career.

An inevitable topic of discussion was Winslet’s break out role in the 1997 film Titanic and in particular the infamous door scene where her character is able to stay afloat on top of a door, while her cruise ship lover, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, died in frigid water.

Horowitz asked Winslet how she felt about the long standing debate from critics of the film who believe both characters would have been able to be rescued had she made room for him on the floating door.

“You just have to make a joke of it, don’t you?” Winslet said. “I don’t fucking know — that’s — the answer is that I don’t fucking know.”

“Could he have fit on the bloody — look all I can tell you is I do have a decent understanding of water and how it behaves,” she added.

“You more than most, Yes,” Horowitz replied.

Winslet listed the various water sports she partakes in alongside husband Edward Abel Smith. “One thing I can honestly tell you, so a paddle board. So when — so a standup paddle board, if you put two adults on a standup paddle board, it becomes immediately extremely unstable,” she said.

Comparing her paddle-board experience to filming Titanic she said, “I have to be honest. Right. I actually don’t believe that we would have survived if we had both gotten on that door.”

“I think that he could have fit. But, it would have tipped,” she admitted.

As the conversation continued, Winslet said, “And also apparently I was too fat.”

“Isn’t it awful. Why were they so mean? They were so mean. I wasn’t even fucking fat,” Winslet said referencing the critics who labeled her “fat” after the scene.

Horowitz commented that it was “insane” how differently Winslet was treated in comparison with her co-star, DiCaprio.

“It’s so weird. But it’s funny, isn’t it? If I could turn back the clock, I would’ve used my voice in a completely different way. I would’ve absolutely — I would’ve said to journalists, I would’ve responded,” Winslet said.

“I would’ve said, ‘Don’t you dare treat me like this. I’m a young woman. My body’s changing. I’m figuring it out. I’m deeply insecure. I’m terrified. Don’t make this any harder than it already is.’ That’s bullying. You know, and actually borderline abusive, I would say,” she said.

Winslet said those who comment on the appearance of actresses are irresponsible.

“It’s such an irresponsible thing to do and it feeds directly into young women aspiring to ideas of perfection that don’t exist. Aspiring to have bodies that, you know, the press are saying that we have,” Winslet said.

“It’s for one night and one night only that we’re in that damn dress. And believe you me, mine comes straight off the second I’m in the car on the way home and I’m in my pajamas. That is how it is. Like I’m right there eating chips and farting. That’s what we do,” she concluded.

Listen above via the Happy Sad Confused Podcast.

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