Kate Winslet Says Hollywood Told Her To Stick To 'Fat Girl' Roles

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Kate Winslet has recently opened up about the changing views of the entertainment industry after claiming that she was told to settle for "fat girl" roles when she was younger.

The Titanic actress opened up about the effect cruel taunts about her weight in the industry had on her confidence after being scrutinized for the way she looked.

In a new interview with The Sunday Times, the Titanic actress opened up about the difficulties of being a young artist in the industry, stating that she was referred to as "blubber." A harmful term, the word is typically used as an insult to describe the excess weight of a person and derives from terminology for sea mammals, including seals and whales.

The 47-year-old admitted that it did affect her self-esteem.

Kate Winslet was subjected to cruel taunts about her weight as a young actress. Credit: LANDMARK MEDIA / Alamy

"It damaged my confidence," she told the outlet. "I didn't want to go to Hollywood because I remember thinking, 'God, if this is what they're saying to me in England, then what will happen when I get there?'

"Also, it tampers with your evolving impression of what's beautiful, you know? I did feel very on my own. For the simple reason that nothing can really prepare you for... that."

When discussing harmful beauty standards on social media, the actress said: "It can be extremely negative [because] people are subject to scrutiny that is more than a young, vulnerable person can cope with."

However, she then went on to say that despite some of the toxic attitudes on social media, at least Hollywood was changing as a whole.

"But in the film industry, it is really changing," she admitted. "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."

Kate Winslet, seen in Mare Of Easttown, thinks attitudes are changing in Hollywood. Credit: PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy

And it seems as though Winslet is glad this is having a positive effect on the younger generation, including her daughter Mia Threapleton.

"My daughter's generation has an ability to speak for themselves," the Mare of Easttown star explained. "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," she continued. "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."

It comes as the 47-year-old was subjected to torment via the media in the late 90s after starring in two of her most popular films - Titanic and Hamlet.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic, 1997. Credit: Cinematic Collection / Alamy

At one point American comedian Joan Rivers even joked that "if Kate Winslet had dropped a few pounds, the Titanic would never have sunk."

Reflecting on the overwhelming experience, she told the Guardian last year that people "would talk about my weight a lot," also adding that this would force her to speak out, which led to more criticism.

"Well, then I got this label of being ballsy and outspoken. No, I was just defending myself."

She added: "It was almost laughable how shocking, how critical, how straight-up cruel tabloid journalists were to me.

"I was still figuring out who the hell I b****y well was! They would comment on my size, they'd estimate what I weighed, they'd print the supposed diet I was on. It was critical and horrible and so upsetting to read."

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